Everything
by whispered touches
Summary: "I love her and that's the beginning and end of everything." -F. Scott Fitzgerald. And for Mako and Korra, that's all that really matters. A collection of drabbles and one-shots based on one-word prompts. Now complete. Thirty: future.
1. beginning

for the 30 day challenge on tumblr - 30 words to use as prompts - so if all goes right i should be updating this daily for the next... welp, 29 days.

that's 29 days of Makorra, folks. _you're welcome._

also i didn't mean for this to end up so cheesy but i don't regret it, just sayin'. Mako is such a dork.

(if anyone follows prove the point, i'm still trying to work past my block - hopefully this will help with that. but i'll get back to it, i promise!)

and to be clear, this takes place after the "final battle" - that gives Mako and Korra time to grow closer as friends, knowing each other's feelings but that it wasn't the right time. and now it is, so.

**day one: beginning**

* * *

The next few days are surreal, as if she's living in a trance; when she looks back she's not even sure they happened. All Korra really remembers is that Mako never leaves her side – at the very least stays as close as he can – even through the speeches she has to make to the reporters or the statements she has to give to the police or the healing sessions that she, that everyone has to go through following the battle. And it's funny – he's so quiet, never says anything, there are times when it's almost like she wants to forget that he's there, but can't quite manage it because she can always feel his eyes on her and his gaze is so _loud_ that it's all she can hear.

They don't get to talk, _really_ talk, verbalize everything they've been saying the whole time through glances and movements and actions, until about a week later, after dinner. Most of her plate sits untouched; it's not that she hasn't been hungry, but she's just been feeling so… satisfied, and she supposes that's kind of a good thing. Bolin's off entertaining Ikki and Meelo and Asami's offered to help Pema clean up the kitchen (she and Korra exchange small smiles full of something like regret as she walks out), and she and Mako are left alone, finally, still sitting at the table.

There's next to no space between them. They're shoulder-to-shoulder, rib-to-rib, hip-to-hip. The contact is warm, electric.

He hesitates and shifts his arm, slides it gently around her shoulders, his thumb slipping over the cut there that's exposed by her sleeveless top. "How are you?" he asks softly, kind of awkwardly, and she doesn't know whether to be frustrated that he's treating her like a stranger or amused by his nervousness.

As a compromise, she allows herself a chuckle at his expense and shakes her head at him, rolling her eyes and making a sound of slight disgust in the back of her throat. Then he's smiling a little to himself, looking down and sideways at her, and Korra sighs, grinning despite herself.

"I think I'm…" She considers her phrasing. She removes his arm from around her and places it back on the table, avoids the panic that flits across his face for a second before she takes his hand and laces their fingers, squeezing tight. He's not wearing his gloves and the feel of his bare palm pressed to hers is strangely new and exhilarating. "I'll be just fine."

He's still cautious, still scared, but he meets her gaze. "Is it the right time yet?"

She turns, breathes deep and runs her hands up his arms, around the back of his neck, drawing him closer, leaning toward him. "You tell me," she says, her chest heavy, and his eyes spark.

"Okay," Mako murmurs.

And he closes the distance – his lips brush over hers, he tucks a loose strand of hair behind her ear and takes her chin between his fingers, and it's nothing like what they've had so far – there's none of that desperation here, none of the heat or the urgency or the intensity and after so much of all of that recently Korra's never been more glad for it – this is what a real first kiss should be like, she thinks.

She frowns when he pulls away, just enough for his breath to tickle her cheek.

"We got lucky," he says; whispers.

Without opening her eyes and wondering how they closed of their own accord, she nods. "I know," she says, pulling him back in, only for him to break away again a few seconds later.

"Korra, you can't – we can't –"

She looks at him; his face is twisted.

"We can't put it off like that again. I know."

This time he moves to cup her face in his hands, and she leans into his touch.

"Korra?"

"Yeah?"

There's a moment of hesitation and then: "I think I'm in love with you."

The words take a second to sink in and then her heart decides it's a good idea to skip a few beats and it seems like she's restraining everything at once, an enormous beam and a laugh and some tears and jumping up and telling him just how amazing that makes her feel.

"I _know_," she says, throwing on bad fake exasperation, and she can't stop the smile from breaking across her face or the laugh from bubbling out of her. "I think I'm in love with you, too, you idiot."

He grins, just like her, and Korra thinks it might be the happiest she's ever seen him. When he opens his mouth to say something else she kisses him again, slides her fingers into his hair, presses even closer, adding some of that heat and intensity because she's already heard it all through the silence and she's impatient and done waiting.


	2. accusation

takes place several months later, when Korra's able to airbend and Makorra are an established couple. sorry this is so bad, it was so much better in my head.

forgot this last time - disclaimer: don't own anything, it's all bryke and nick's.

**day two: accusation**

* * *

A sudden motion catches her eye. Abandoning her airbending form, Korra raises her fists and levels a kick and a burst of fire toward the trees where something rustled; in response there's a quiet yell and a muffled thump.

"Who's there?" she calls, moving closer, though she has her suspicions.

Somebody sighs. Two gloved hands appear at the ends of the two arms that stick out from either side of the scorched tree and Mako steps out from behind it, eyes locked on the ground, his cheeks bright red.

She lowers her hands, sets one on her hip. "What are you doing?"

"Nothing!" he says, but he swallows and, if possible, blushes even harder. Seeing he's no longer in any immediate danger, he scoops some of the flames from the bushes to stop their burning and dissipates them in his palm.

With skepticism: "Uh-huh. Sure." Then she smirks, walking right up to him and jabbing a finger into his chest before he can turn away again. "You were _watching _me, weren't you?"

"W-what? No, what would give you that idea, why would I do that, that doesn't even make any sense–"

"You were!" Korra says, letting her mouth fall open, outraged and flattered at the same time. "You were watching me airbend!"

Mako scowls, irritated by her amusement. "_No_, I wasn't."

She raises an eyebrow and crosses her arms. "Fine. If you weren't watching me – hypothetically speaking – then what were you doing over here in the bushes?"

He squares his jaw and says, "I was – taking a walk."

That second of hesitation is enough for her, but teasing him could still be fun…

"Since when do you like taking walks?"

"I've always liked walks!" and it's turned into a sort of angry, frustrated snarl.

"Okay, okay, so you like walks. I learned something new about you. Great," she says. "But why stop behind this tree, which is_ conveniently_ right next to the spot where I practice airbending?"

"I, uh, um." He clears his throat and blushes some more, glaring at her. "I – uh, I – had to pee."

"_Oh_, right, I see. Mhmm." She gives an exaggerated, "understanding" nod. "And why couldn't you just find the bathroom?"

"I, er… couldn't hold it?"

"Of _course, _of course… _Although,_ normally, if I caught my boyfriend in the bushes, _staring at me_, with his pants unzipped, I'd assume he was doing a little something other than peeing…"

"_Korra_!" Wow, she didn't know it was possible for someone's face to get that red – she wonders if he's overheating. "Geez…"

"Admit it," she says, leaning toward him, victory in her words, "you were watching me."

Mako's not able to hold her gaze and rubs the back of his neck, sighs. "Kind of," he mutters.

Korra rolls her eyes. "You're such a creep," she tells him, and grins, reaching forward to play with his scarf, and as always, his back goes all stiff. "So, how was it?"

"How was –" His voice cracks and he clears it again. "How was what?"

Her hands slide over his shoulders; she smirks at the tension in his muscles. "The view."

Finally, he relaxes. His arms snake around her waist and pull her tight to him, almost no space between them. "Pretty great," he says casually, and then he gets this glint in his eye that makes her stomach drop in the best way. "But I'm sure there are better ones that I haven't seen."

"I bet." She bites her lip, lets her eyes slide shut – and when he moves to kiss her she ducks out of his embrace, laughing, dances away from him and uses a gust of wind to put out the remaining fires and ruffle his hair. "But not today, Cool Guy."


	3. restless

takes place post-series. best one yet, i think, although i guess out of three that's not really saying much. but. whatever.

i own nothing - it all belongs to bryke.

**day three: restless**

* * *

Mako woke up on the floor.

_That's not right_, he thought groggily, pushing himself to his knees. _I fell asleep in bed…_

He straightened up and squinted in the dark; there was enough light coming into the room from the moon and the city for him to see Korra, tangled in the sheets, limbs splayed, taking up the entire bed – which explained how he had said goodbye to it and hello to the dust bunnies beneath it.

Rubbing his face, he smiled at the sight. It wasn't the first time she'd shoved him in her sleep, and he had the bruises to prove it. After watching her for a few more seconds and getting to his feet, however, he noticed that she hadn't stilled like she normally did. She was tossing and turning, flinging her arms and kicking her legs haphazardly. Still half-asleep, he didn't realize right away that she was having a nightmare.

His smile turned into a frown and he sat down on the edge of the mattress while Korra thrashed, letting out little whimpers, her breathing quick. He reached out for her wrists, took them both in one hand so she wouldn't hurt herself, and he used the other to shake her shoulder.

"Korra," he said. "Korra, come on, it's okay, wake up."

With a gasp, she bolted upright, her eyes snapping wide open, flailing against his grip: he released her and she turned away, patting the mattress, her eyes not quite adjusted yet.

"Mako?" she said, upon realizing she was (mostly) alone in the bed.

"I'm right here."

She threw herself toward the sound of his voice, buried herself into his chest as his arms came around her and hugged her tight. Her fingernails dug into his back, she clung to him so hard, and he could feel her shaking. Whatever the nightmare had been about, it was bad. Not bad enough for her to be in tears, thankfully, but bad enough that Korra wouldn't want to talk about it. Mako knew that from experience.

He also knew that when she fisted his hair and claimed his mouth with hers, breaking apart only to tug his thin undershirt over his head, pulling him down on top of her, there wouldn't be any more talking tonight.


	4. snowflake

(don't own it.)

i just realized i've never written Asami before. let's hope that works out okay.

takes place one or two summers post-this point in the series - when it's peaceful, basically. again, Makorra is an established couple.

also, i just want to make it clear that they're _not naked_. cause as hard as I ship this OT4 and would love to see every one of these attractive human beings without any clothes on... that'd be weird. yay for Krew friendship!

**day four: snowflake.**

* * *

It's just not quite clicking in his head how Korra's the only one who isn't in their underwear. The rest of them have stripped down, stopping just short of peeling their skin off because of the heat, and Mako's still sweating from places he didn't know _could_ sweat. He doesn't understand how she can stand it, or how she hasn't spontaneously combusted.

(Okay, so maybe he's complaining because part of him just wants to see Korra without a shirt on. He's a teenage boy – sue him.)

"It's barely even summer," says Asami, sounding a little like she wants to cry, or die, or both; he doesn't really blame her. "It's not supposed to be this hot yet!"

Sprawled on the ground, Bolin raises a fist and shakes it at the sky. "Curse you, weather spirits," he mutters half-heartedly.

A moment later, they're all groaning and rolling over to shield their faces from the vicious gust of hot wind that sweeps in from out of nowhere.

"Fine, I take it back," Bo amends, and sighs. "But this still sucks."

Mako hums his agreement and looks to Korra. Until a second ago, he'd thought she was asleep, which is kind of a feat considering she's lying on her back with her legs propped up on the trunk of a tree, but he can't pretend he didn't notice the way she lifted her arm, swirled her wrist and settled it on her stomach, trying to pass it off as making herself more comfortable even though the breeze had followed her motion shortly after. Not to mention it's obvious that she's holding back a smile.

He scoots over so he can nudge her shoulder with his bare foot. The grin falls out, but the laugh doesn't. He decides it's too hot to push her any – plus he's a little afraid she might pass out from heat exhaustion if he does – her shirt has always looked so tight, trapping all her body heat –

Yeah, he needs to stop thinking. Like, now.

Huffing a breath and flopping onto his stomach, he swipes some sweat from his forehead, rests his chin on the backs of his hands. Even the shade does next to nothing against the sun. He feels like he's being split in two: the half of him that's a firebender before anything else, a part separate from the rest of him, is ready to go, aching to ignite, but the human half of him, the _sane_ one, thinks a nap seems like a really good idea.

For the first time in what Mako thinks is a while, Korra speaks, without opening her eyes: "Y'know, they say that no two snowflakes are exactly alike. They're all different from each other. Every one's unique."

Asami levels her with an incredulous stare. "_How_ do you manage to think about _snowflakes_ at a time like this?"

"Snow," Bolin mumbles. "Cold."

Korra's eyes have opened, the brightest and most beautiful blue Mako's ever known, like she's stolen the color straight from the sky. Her mouth is pulled into a frown, and he guesses her next words before they form.

"I want to go home," she says.

The quiet statement's enough to get even Bolin to sit up and look at her.

"I miss my parents. I miss Katara. I miss all the ice and the sun and – _everything_."

Mako catches the way her face tightens, the shaky exhale she releases. He reaches for her hand and squeezes it, gives her a tiny smile.

"I'm going with you," he tells her, and she smiles back at him.

"We'll come, too," says Asami, gesturing between herself and Bo. "If you want us to."

He nods eagerly. "Field trip to the South Pole, coldest place on earth? Wouldn't miss it for the world! I'll start packing!"

And he makes as if to get up before the heat beats his enthusiasm down and he collapses back onto the ground.

"On second thought…" he says. "Can we leave tomorrow?"

Korra laughs, then, tightening her grip on Mako's hand as his thumb brushes across her knuckles. She closes her eyes again and sighs.

"No problem," she says, and he thinks he hears her whisper a "thanks" somewhere afterward, too.


	5. haze

(it's all bryke's.)

would take place, chronologically, before "beginning." so shortly before whatever big important "final battle" there may or may not be.

this gave me trouble and i've been like half-asleep all day today so i don't even know why this is... like this. it just feels awkwardly worded and written to me. :/ but i forced myself to finish it and here it is.

**day five: haze**

* * *

Fog drifts over the surface of the bay in the early morning. Legs dangling off the side of a small cliff, Korra can feel the water all around her, hanging in the air, and she breathes it in and kicks her feet but doesn't bend it (not intentionally, anyway).

She feels the footsteps before she hears them, so she doesn't jump when Mako comes up behind her.

"Hey."

"Hey," she says, and he sits down next to her, leaning back on his hands and looking sideways at her.

"I'm surprised you're awake," he says.

She tilts her head, raises an eyebrow. "Then why'd you come looking for me?"

Unshaken, he shrugs. "Just a feeling."

And for some reason it makes her feel really warm inside, the way he says it – which is convenient, considering it's so chilly this time of day. She's wishing she'd thought to bring her parka when, as if on cue, she shivers, goosebumps breaking out up and down her arms, and with little more than a millisecond's hesitation, Mako unwinds his scarf and places it around her neck, not once losing her gaze.

Korra's mouth goes dry as she tugs her hair free, smiling her thanks and glad for her forgetfulness. She studies the water below her feet. _It'd be so easy_, she thinks, for the most fleeting of moments. _Just a couple inches and it'd all be over._ Then she scowls at her own mind. She's never taken the easy way out, and isn't going to now, never will. It's always been hard and it's always going to be hard but she's going to make it worth it.

"Couldn't sleep?"

He's still staring at her; the knowledge makes her heart pound. She meets his eyes and no, he's not staring at her, he's not just looking at her, he's _seeing her_, like she's the whole world, like he never has before, and maybe he hasn't.

"How'd you guess?" she says, and sighs.

Now he looks away, toward the city. But he scoots closer to her, close enough for their elbows to touch. "Luck?" he tries.

Korra laughs softly. "Come on, you know me better than that."

He considers her out of the corner of his eye. "Nah, not yet," he says easily. "But it'll be over soon. Then we'll see," and there's a whole ocean of promise there, in his glance. The fist she's got curled on the ground between them is covered by his hand.

"Listen, Korra…" He's still talking to the sky, the dark clouds gathering overhead. "I know we're not really sure where we stand with each other, exactly, but…" He kind of grins, as though he's sharing an inside joke with himself, glances at her again. "You look good in my scarf."

Her lips pull up at the corners. She looks down at their hands and watches as hers flatten beneath his, fingers spreading so his can fill the spaces between them.

"Thanks, Mako," she says quietly, and follows his gaze. "Looks like rain."

He points to the east. "The sun's coming up, though."

The light's the same color as his eyes, clear and bright, and she's not alone and she won't be. Not if she has anything to say about it.


	6. flame

(i don't claim to own anything you recognize.)

so apparently this turned into an actual scene from this "final battle." whoops. and apparently this also turned into a RonHermione scene, which i didn't realize until after it'd been written. whoops. implied Avatar State.

alternate title?: _moth to a flame_.

**day six: flame.**

* * *

He's always been drawn to her.

The same holds true now, even as he punches fire and ducks around a chi-blocker and drives his elbow into his back. Hardly realizing it, he's searching her out among the swarm, and it should be easier than it's proving to be because everything about her has always screamed her presence into his ear and _where is her fire when they need it the most_ –

Her name leaves his mouth in a strangled yell: _"Korra!" _Mako spins around, trying to find her and shove his panic down at the same time. He uses his own momentum to throw the chi-blocker who's been advancing on him over his shoulder and to the ground (he thinks he feels the bones pop).

Several of their enemies go flying into the air from a point some thirty feet away from him. "A little busy here!" she calls back, and through a gap in the crowd he sees that she's occupied by an entire semicircle of Equalists. His stomach drops.

He takes out one more chi-blocker, the last of the ones that've been causing him the most immediate problems, before starting to fight his way toward her, lashing out with flames licking his wrists, the smell of ash and singed clothing oppressive and choking. In a few moments they're back to back as the circle completes and starts to close in around them; he doesn't really remember making the conscious decision to get to her, but he's here for now and he doesn't question it, doesn't question anything, just kicks a chi-blocker in the chest and breathes and turns and grabs her by the elbow and forces her to face him and kisses her.

"Is this really the time?" she says after they break apart, going back to fighting as though nothing happened, and she sounds kind of angry but kind of pleased, too, and her fire's hotter than it was.

"Probably not," Mako concedes. He twists an Equalist's arm behind him and shoves him into his comrades. "But there might not be another time, so I'm gonna go with 'yes' instead."

Korra's still beautiful in the middle of a battle, her hair coming out of the ties, her cheeks flushed, moving something like a dancer in the way she bends. She turns her head and shoots him this look and he doesn't get the chance to decipher it because her eyes are widening then and he's on his back – or he thinks he is – and either way he's suddenly in a lot of pain and she's _screaming_ _"Mako!" _in a voice he never could've imagined coming out of her and it makes his chest hurt and he's not sure what's happening but it's harder to breathe now, harder to see, and he feels like he's burning up inside and he everything's going quiet, going dark –

And he knows without looking – he can't look anymore, his eyelids seem to have gained about ten thousand pounds – how bright she is, illuminated, lit up like the sun.


	7. formal

(i own nothing.)

this would be very much post-series. don't love this one - it's so much better in my head and the beginning sucks and it's rushed but i'm pressed for time so here ya go.

**day seven: formal.**

* * *

By this point, Korra's just about ready to explode. It's not even fair anymore.

_Cheater_, she thinks, as she forces a smile for yet another foreign dignitary. She's got to hold back all her bored sighs and eyerolls because she's the Avatar and this is her job, keeping the peace between nations and that means, unfortunately, putting on her Big Girl Pants and holding a lid on all the rude things she wants to say about these stuffy old politicians.

On the other hand, Mako doesn't have that problem. These people don't expect that from him; they know his background and here, they judge him for it, and while that doesn't really matter to them he still tries to seem like he's worthy of respect, respectful enough for Korra to drag along as her date to these events.

But the part that drives her crazy is the fact that it's just a game to him. He likes to have fun with her, squeezing her hip or trailing his fingers along the back of her neck or her spine or even just meeting her gaze from across the room where he's trapped in conversation with some Earth Kingdom nobility - spirits, is it even _legal_ for him to look at her like that in public? The way his eyes rake up and down her, so subtly, makes her feel almost naked.

At the end of the night, it's not too far off: their lips are locked together when they stumble into the apartment and the only parts of Mako that are skin are his hands and his face and that's not enough, he's wearing too many clothes, so she yanks his scarf out of its fancy knot, pushes his suit jacket off his shoulders, struggles to undo the buttons of the vest underneath – she wonders, a little desperately, it's true, about the necessity for so many layers.

He chuckles against her mouth, then, smirks, starting to trail kisses along her jaw and down her neck and back up and over her face and down again but never where she wants him.

"Jerk," she tries to growl, but it comes out as more of a gasp and it's like, _seriously?_

He laughs again and she pulls his head up by his hair and kisses him for real, biting his lower lip. Her patience has worn thin.

Knowing her like he does, Mako's quick fingers make short work of ties and buttons and zippers and before long their clothes are discarded on the floor.


	8. companion

(nothing here is owned by me.)

i'm gonna say this is post-series, but not by more than a few years. alternate detail that isn't mentioned but you can choose to accept or reject - Makorra just got engaged, which prompts the visit. whatever, your choice.

**day eight: companion.**

* * *

Silence falls over the place like a blanket. Everything is laid out in straight lines and squares, mapped out in a grid for convenience, patched together somewhat carelessly. It's familiar to him, welcoming in a backwards, heavy kind of way, but it's also the coldest quilt he's ever known. Korra's hand is warm in his, though, so that makes it okay, or as close to okay as it's ever going to feel.

As always it's near impossible to breathe when he gets there, stares down at the words that will never fade from the stone, fact, irreversible, and a lump rises in his throat and a numb tingling starts at the ends of his fingers, like frostbite. Korra stands with him for a long time, not saying anything, unnaturally still for her, until finally she kneels down in front of the grave and places the flowers there, arranging them compulsively. She rubs her hands on her thighs.

"Hi," she says after a moment. She looks uncomfortable but she presses on and Mako loves her more for it. "I'm Korra. I've heard a lot about you. From Mako, I mean. Because we're, um, together."

"They know," he tells her quietly, sitting down beside her and taking her hand again, and his voice is rough. "I told them."

"Right. Right, of course you did."

He tries to smile and she tries to return it. She bites her lip.

"Anyway, he asked me to come with him today, for the first time, and I'm not really sure what to say. I guess I just, I wanted to let you know that even though I know you didn't get to spend a lot of time together, with him and Bolin – not enough, and that's just so unfair because you should've had the chance to see them grow up and you didn't, and I'm so sorry for that and sometimes I just wish –"

Mako squeezes her hand and Korra seems to realize that she's rambling. Breathing deep, she starts over.

"I wanted to let you know that you should be really proud of him. He raised Bolin on his own and didn't totally screw that up, so that's some good luck. And he grew up to be a pretty great person, too. Most of the time, at least. I like him okay. I think I'll keep him."

For a while he just looks at her; she doesn't look back right away. When she does she says, "Do you want to be alone?"

There's only one time, other than this one, where he hadn't come here by himself. He and Bolin'd been clinging to one another. They'd both been terrified and they'd both been crying and they'd both been lost in this monstrous world that was ready to swallow them whole.

Yet here his world sits, right in front of him, in his arms. She's found him – they've found each other.

He grips her hand so hard it hurts and she grips back, holding on just as tight. He shakes his head, blinks and swipes the back of his wrist across his eyes.

"No," he says, and it's years younger, small. "I don't."


	9. move

(i own nothing.)

nothing but dialogue and innuendo ahead. have fun. ;D

**day nine: move.**

* * *

"Korra, I don't think this is going to work."

"Sure it will! It's just gonna take a little… maneuvering."

"But it's not –"

"Nope, shut up, I'm right."

"But –"

"No buts."

"But –"

"What did I just say? Now shut up and keep going."

"Yeah, yeah…"

"Geez, it's harder than it looks."

"You doing okay?"

"Yeah, I'm fine. You?"

"Just peachy."

"Okay, here we go, be careful…"

"You realize I have _no idea_ what I'm doing, right?"

"That's okay, just follow my lead – not there, not there! That's not what I said!"

"I was a little distracted when you were handing out the instruction booklet."

"_Not_ the moment."

"Korra, it's not going to fit."

"Damn it, are you kidding me?"

"No, it's too big."

"Um, okay, then we're going to have to move. Switch places with me."

"There's no way that's going to happen."

"Don't worry, we'll make it work."

"I'm not risking putting myself through that kind of pain."

"Fine, I'll do it myself."

"No! Just keep going like this, maybe we can force it."

"Are you sure?"

"Of course not, but there's not really much else we can do."

"All right. On the count of three, push as hard as you can and maybe we can squeeze it in. Ready?"

"Ready."

"Okay, one, two, three – wait wait wait wait, stop, stop, stop – _ouch! _– for Agni's sake, Mako, _stop it! _Ow, ow, _ow_._"_

"Sorry, sorry! Did I hurt you?"

"No, I'm just saying '_ow' _a million times for no apparent reason. _Ouch, _that hurt like _hell_…"

"I thought you were ready!"

"I was! It was supposed to be one, two, three, _then_ push, not one, two, push on three!"

"Well, you should've made that clear!"

"Excuse me for assuming you knew what I meant!"

"You're excused!"

"Good."

"Fan_tastic_."

"Whatever. Let's just get this over with. Try again."

"On three this time? Like actually _on_ it?"

"Yes, _on three_ this time. One, two, _three!"_

"Is it working?"

"Push harder!"

"I _am!"_

"Not hard enough – oh, _crap_."

"What now?"

"…I think it's stuck."

"Please tell me that's a bad joke."

"Now we're really screwed."

"Should I try to pull it back out or something?"

"No, no, just leave it for now… We need a new plan."

"_You don't say? _I can't believe this is happening. I told you this was a bad idea!"

"You were plenty eager to go along with it! Ugh, Asami and Bolin made it sound so easy…"

"I heard my name! What's…?"

"Oh, hey, Bo…"

"Um… what exactly did I just walk in on?"

"It's all Korra's fault!"

"Hey!"

"Mhmm… So, can I ask what's up with… all this?"

"You mean the huge chair that's kinda sorta completely blocking the doorway?"

"Yeah, that."

"Well, I thought, since I'm moving in, I could use some furniture of my own."

"So you bought a chair?"

"Pretty much."

"But it's so comfortable, you have no idea. So worth it, I promise."

"She's giving you that smile, isn't she? Don't fall for it, Bolin!"

"Is that your way of asking for my help?"

"Yes, please."

"All right. On one condition: you have to let me sit in it, at least once, for as long as I want."

"What? No way!"

"Korra, I'd really rather not have to find a way to crawl over this thing every time I need to leave the apartment."

"But –"

"_No buts."_

"Okay…"

"Step aside, amateurs, and let Bolin show you how it's done."


	10. silver

(i own nothing.)

post-series - at the beach, but that's just to give Mako a reason to have his shirt fully off. i'm sorry this is such a steaming pile of crap... i'm just... giving up on this one... -shame-

on the other hand, i'm a third of the way through this challenge - how'd that happen?

**day ten: silver**

* * *

"What's that?"

Mako looks down at himself, to where Korra's pointing at the chain he's just slipped over his head and wasn't quick enough to hide with his shirt. In typical Korra fashion, she doesn't wait for answer; instead she gets up and picks her way toward him across the sand, wiping some from her backside as she goes, and takes it in her hands, sliding down both sides of it until she reaches the two rings that dangle from it.

"How long have you had these?" she asks quietly.

"They were my parents'," he murmurs, and her eyes flick up to his and down again, her eyebrows knitting. He moves her fingers out of the way and holds them in his palm, where she continues to toy with them. "Before they were married. Like promise rings. After they… _after_, I was going through the house to look for stuff we might need, that we could take with us, and I found them. I've just… held onto them all this time, I guess. I didn't get the chain until a couple years ago."

There's a moment's silence and then, when she takes the chain and starts to pull it back over his head, he bends down a little so she has easier access. He watches her fumble with the clasp for a few moments and wonders why he's not more opposed to this whole thing. Next to his scarf, he treasures these rings more than anything in the world – well, any material thing, anyway.

But he lets her slide the rings off the chain, hand the larger one to him and keep the smaller for herself. She looks at him again, a silent request for permission, and he responds by placing the ring on his finger. Still, she's hesitating, and he takes hers from her and puts it on for her. Not a perfect fit, but they can worry about that later.

He holds her gaze as she stares at the silver band, adjusting to it.

"So, um… what did we just promise?"

"I don't know," he says, except that he'll agree to just about whatever she suggests.


	11. prepared

(it all belongs to someone who is not me.)

this is like the third time i've written a way they could get together... so i guess this disregards "beginning," because i've kind of been assuming these've all been taking place in the same universe.

**day eleven: prepared.**

* * *

Pacing had never really been Mako's thing. He was cool under fire, the calm, collected older brother, the protector who had to keep his head and look out for everyone. There was no time for pointless things like pacing when he could be doing something productive, like coming up with a plan or taking real action.

Thanks to Korra, however, things had changed. She'd come crashing into his life, bright and blazing and beautiful, so full of life, and he knew things could never go back to the way they'd once been – which wasn't altogether a bad thing, he thought, considering, and he smiled to himself. It was funny: he was sure teaching had never really been Korra's thing, either, and yet, over the short few months he'd known her (though they felt like a lifetime), she'd taught him more than anyone he'd ever met. About life, about people, about the world, about – dare he say it – love, and not least of all, the important skill of multitasking.

Especially now, when he was walking back and forth in front of her door, muttering to himself and messing with his hair, Mako had to admit that it really did come in handy. There was no way he could've been sitting still; he didn't think it was possible to feel this nervous.

"So, Korra, I was just wondering if maybe, sometime, you'd wanna hang out, together, with me? We could go… get food… No, no, that sounds stupid. Uh… Hey, Korra! I was thinking that maybe we should get to know each other a little better. No! Why would you say that, you idiot?"

He sighed, ran his fingers through his hair some more, and tried again.

"Korra. Um… I just, I want you to know that I think you're…" Every memory he had of her flashed before his eyes; he laughed slightly, quietly, and said on an exhale, "Insane. But you're also… you're… you mean so much to me… I can't even say. And it's just like… all I ever want to do anymore is spend time with you, and, I mean, I know that you… What I mean is that we both know we like each other and it doesn't make sense that we're not together when we finally can be, right? So will you… would you…?"

With a frustrated groan, Mako threw his arms up and slammed his fists against the wall. "Why is this so _hard_?" he said.

A door slid open.

He jumped about a foot in the air, whirling aroundHey to see – of _course_, as if this wasn't embarrassing enough – Korra, her arms crossed, smirking at him with eyebrow raised. Heat rushed to his cheeks.

"I didn't think you were doing too bad," she said.

"How did you –"

"The walls are _really_ thin here. I'm surprised you've never noticed."

"Oh." He rubbed the back of his neck and hoped his face wasn't as red as it felt.

"So…" Korra shifted, leaned against the wall. "You were saying?"

"W-what?"

"Well," and the sudden softness of her voice and her face made his heart drop into his stomach, "aren't you going to finish?"

"Uh, yeah. Okay." Clearing his throat, he straightened up and took a deep breath. "Korra, I…" The words came to him then, with her smiling at him, stepping closer; he smiled, too. "I really like you and I think we were meant for each other. You're… still the most amazing person I've ever met, so… will you go out with me?"

"Good question," she said. She seemed to be holding back a laugh. "But…"

She was so close now, it was almost painful to restrain himself. Her eyes were only half-open and his own fell shut. An eternity seemed to pass before she spoke again, a breath straight into his lungs:

"…did you even need to ask?"


	12. knowledge

(don't own it.)

i'd mark this one a few months post-this-point-in-the-show, around where "accusation" was, i guess.

this one kind of got away from me, but it might be one of my favorites yet. :)

**day twelve: knowledge.**

* * *

The last thing he ever expects to find Korra doing is reading a book – but there she is, sprawled across her bed, face drawn into serious concentration with a book in her hands. He stops for a moment to appreciate the image before saying, "Hey."

"Hey," she mumbles, not tearing her eyes from the pages; then she seems to realize that someone's actually spoken to her, and she snaps back to reality, letting her arms flop down onto her stomach. "Oh, hey."

He takes a couple steps inside, smiling a little. "What're you reading?" he asks, gesturing.

Maybe she hears the amusement in his voice because she throws him this _look_. "It's one of Aang's journals. He's talking about mastering the Avatar State. I figured I should, y'know, look into that, after what happened last time."

"Yeah, that's probably a good idea."

When Mako sits down next to her, she narrows her eyes.

"You're not gonna distract me, are you?"

"Not on purpose."

"Good," she says firmly, "because I really need to be able to understand this. Just because I've _finally_ made some progress with airbending doesn't mean I'm any closer to becoming a fully realized Avatar. All that spiritual stuff matters, too."

He makes himself more comfortable, scooting in between her and the wall – the bed's really only made for one person – so he's propped against it. "Does it now?"

"Uh-huh," she says, and it's caught somewhere between little-kid and matter-of-fact and _Avatar Korra_ so he's momentarily breathless, although that might have something to do with the elbow she jams into his ribs for his teasing tone as she moves in against his side, his arm going around her shoulders.

There's quiet as Korra finds her place again and picks up where she left off, falling back into the past, a tale told a thousand times in a thousand lifetimes. He wonders if any of it seems familiar to her, like déjà vu or something, a memory she wants to grasp but can't quite reach. The idea that she's this supreme being, almost more than human, with access to the knowledge of a thousand past lives – it just doesn't click in his head, how this girl, who kicks in her sleep and turns the lights _off_ after dark and isn't afraid to punch a stranger in the face for insulting her friends and can beat even his brother in a burping contest – it doesn't seem possible for her, for _Korra_ to be a part of this huge cycle.

The thought's terrifying, in a humbling kind of way. Mako's nothing compared to her, so insignificant in the grand scheme of things. He imagines her in the Avatar State, but different from last time. Still fierce, still intense, but with a sort of self-control about her he hasn't seen very often. _She'll be amazing_, he thinks; and with a weight in his chest, suffocating, _and she won't need me_.

That's something he's always known. One day, she'll leave him behind. It hasn't really struck him until now just how much he doesn't want that to happen.

He turns, presses a kiss to the top of her head, buries his nose in her hair. She always smells like snow, if snow has a scent, sort of sweet, and salty, like a winter breeze off the ocean.

"You're being distracting," says Korra, without looking up from the book.

"I know," he murmurs, and closes his eyes. "I'm sorry."

"It's okay."

A pause and then: "I'm going to miss you."

A thumb in the middle to hold her spot and she shifts to look at him, takes his face in her hands. "You don't have to."

In response Mako sighs through his nose, pulling her more securely against him and tucking her head under his chin. She doesn't reopen her book.

Since when have they been able to communicate like this, through layered sentences and unsaid words and touches and glances? Has it always been this easy? _Of course not_, he wants to laugh – but could it have been? All that time he wasted and now the clock is ticking.

He breathes her in and listens to the airbender kids' laughter outside, the chattering of a lemur swooping past the window.

"Read to me."

Her head tilts back slightly, trying to see him. "What?"

"You heard me," he says. His arms tighten around her. "Read."

She opens the book back up, scanning and flipping through the pages. "What should I read?" she says.

"Anything."

He just wants to listen to her voice and know that, for now, for however long _now_ is going to last, she's here with him.

Korra takes a breath and his hands, resting on her stomach, rise and fall.

"'The fourth chakra is the air chakra, located in the heart. It deals with love, and it's blocked by grief. Love is a form of energy, like chi, that swirls around and inside us all. When someone you love dies, the love you shared doesn't die with them – it exists in your heart forever, and is reborn in the form of new love. My grief lay with the Air Nomads, my people, who I'd abandoned when I tried to run away from my destiny. To unlock this chakra, I had to realize that even though their bodies are gone, their spirits live on in my memories of them, the air I bend, and my way of life, and the love I felt for them was the same love I felt for Katara, the day I met her and every day since. It just took a different form.'"

There're a few moments of silence as she closes the journal and curls further into his side, pressing her face into the crook of his neck.

"Aang's got a way with words," he says.

"He really does, though." He can feel her smile. "It keeps things interesting, anyway. Nothing like a history book."

"It's almost like a fairy tale."

"What is?"

"Him and Katara."

"I don't know about that," she says, suddenly quiet, and it's as though she's painting the words onto his skin. "Besides, I've never really liked fairy tales."

For some reason this doesn't surprise him. "Why not? Don't wanna live happily ever after?"

"That's not it," and for some reason Mako's really relieved. "I just don't think two people need to be torn apart and brought back together again to have a good love story."

There it is again – but there's time. He doesn't need to worry about it. Not yet.

"Plus I've never really bought that whole damsel in distress thing."

She's grinning.

"You wouldn't."

And maybe she doesn't need him half as much as he needs her.


	13. denial

(i own nussing.)

between A Leaf in the Wind and The Revelation. not a ton of Makorra as much as Fire Ferret team bonding and a bit of Borra if you look for it. :( poor baby.

in other news, this is technically late and its creation consisted of -pull out of butt- -post-, so...

THE FINALE IS TODAY TOMORROW HOLY CRAP HOW ARE WE GOING TO SURVIVEEE I'M SO EXCITED I CAN'T SLEEP I LOVE YOU ALL SEE YOU ON THE OTHER SIDE

**day thirteen: denial.**

* * *

The apartment wasn't small – not the cramped, dusty room she'd been imagining, but an open space, scarcely furnished, with walls practically made of windows, which pretty much eliminated the need for any lighting. Korra decided immediately that she liked it.

"Nice place," she said, setting her practice bag down by the door and turning to take it all in, the small loft overhead that the brothers were climbing up to, the weights thrown carelessly in the corner, the boxes stacked to one side as though waiting to be packed. "How long have you guys lived here?"

"About a year," said Bolin from above. "Toza took us in a few months before the season started so he could train us and stuff. And we had to find a waterbender, so there was that, too." His face appeared over the railing, grinning at her. "But we've got you now, so that's not a problem."

He slid down the ladder with practiced ease; she watched the way he bent his knees to absorb the impact of the landing, keeping his balance. _Light on your toes_, he'd said, and yet he was so sure-footed. Maybe she'd ask him about that later – something about it reminded her of airbending.

"What about you?" he asked, moving toward her, past her to the couch and flopping down on it. "You grew up in the South Pole, right? What was that like?"

Korra laughed a little, moving to join him. "In a word? Cold." The compound more so than anywhere else, but she didn't say that. "But, I mean, it's home, y'know? All the people I love most in the world are there – Katara always used to tell me" (when the walls loomed too tall or closed in too tight and trapped her breath in her lungs) "that wherever the people you love are, that's your home."

"Wait a second, wait." Bolin sat up, interest piqued. _"Katara_? As in, _Master _Katara? Avatar Aang's wife Katara? You knew her?"

"I _know_ her, yeah," she said. "She taught me waterbending. She's practically my grandmother – next to Naga, she was the best friend I had as a kid."

He gaped at her, open-mouthed. "That's _awesome_," he breathed, and she grinned.

Mako descended the ladder with a lot more caution than his brother, actually stepping down it. "I didn't know she was still alive," he said, taking a sit on Bolin's other side.

"Oh, yeah. Watching her bend, you'd never know she's pushing ninety."

Bolin whistled and leaned back, his green eyes kind of distant. Then he looked at her again. "Speaking of age – you're what, eighteen?"

"Seventeen," she corrected. "I'll be eighteen in spring, though."

"That's cool, that's cool. I'm sixteen and Mako's eighteen."

She raised her eyebrows at Mako, whose long limbs were stretched out all over the place and who had yet to participate in the conversation; he rolled his eyes and turned away. Glaring, she stretched her leg across Bolin and kicked him in the shin.

"Hey, Cool Guy. What's your problem?"

With his arms crossed over his chest and a scowl: "Nothing."

To Bolin: "What's his problem?"

A shrug was the only answer she got. The silence wore on, Korra glared at Mako, Mako frowned at the wall, and Bolin glanced between the two of them until finally Mako sighed.

"This is stupid."

"No, it's not!" said Bolin. "I think it's a great idea to get to know each other."

"Bo, I already know you."

"But Korra doesn't! Korra doesn't know either of us!"

"Look, Mako," she said, "we're not gonna be able to work as a team unless we know how each other operates."

"How would you know? Have you ever even been on a team before?"

"No – but it's part of being the Avatar. I have to know what every element's like to be able to use it effectively with another. I figure a team's kinda the same way, right?"

Okay, so maybe her logic was flawed, but it seemed to make sense to him, because she saw some of the tension leave his shoulders. "I guess."

"Great! So…" Korra nudged Bolin in the side with her foot. "Favorite colors?"

Mako groaned. "Seriously?"

"Got a better question, spit it out."

"Fine – red."

"Orange," said Bolin.

"And mine's blue. Um… Bolin, you ask."

"Oh, uh – favorite food. Dumplings."

"Seal jerky. Mako?"

He shifted and his face closed off and she could feel a wall go up, like she'd just overstepped a line she wasn't supposed to cross, which was dumb, because it was just _food_. "I don't really have one," he said.

"If you had to pick."

The look he gave her, you would've thought she was putting him through extreme physical torture.

"I dunno… fire flakes."

"See, that wasn't so hard."

Intentionally or not, it came out teasing – and incredibly, a smirk lifted the corner of his mouth, like the sun coming out from behind a cloud (if the sun scowled and frowned and sighed a lot as if the whole world was beneath him). Pride, or something like it, settled in her because _she'd done that_, she'd given him that half-smile, she'd broken a hole in the wall, and the thought warmed her.

"Your turn," Korra said. "Question."

"Uh…" Still smirking, and then slightly mocking. "Got any hobbies?"

"Not really. Training didn't really leave me a lot of spare time." Mako looked a little too surprised by her honesty and Bolin looked a little too full of admiration to be comfortable, so she continued, "But I really like swimming, actually."

"Really?" said Bolin. "Why's that?"

"I'm not sure. Maybe knowing that I could bend it if I wanted to – having it as an option but not _having_ to use it. Does that make sense?"

He nodded. "Yeah, I totally know what you mean!"

Mako coughed, and Bolin not-so-subtly elbowed him.

"As for me, I like to eat. And walk. Sometimes at the same time. I'm a multitasker. And Mako loves to cook."

"What?" His expression almost made her laugh. She probably would've, if there hadn't been some real, firebender anger – the first she'd seen from him, come to think of it – mixed in with the annoyance. "No, I don't!"

"Don't listen to him," Bolin told her, as though his brother wasn't even in the room, "of course he does, he even pretends to have his own cooking show. And he sings while he does it."

"_No_, I _don't_."

"Not very well, I might add."

"_Bolin_ – he laughs in his sleep!"

"That was _one time_ –"

"Was _not_, you even did it as a kid, it scared the crap out of me –"

"You're lying, you're a liar –"

"_You're_ a liar!"

And then the argument dissolved into a slap fight, which dissolved into wrestling, which dissolved into laughter, and Korra wasn't really sure what happened but eventually they all ended up on the floor and she wondered if this was what it meant to have friends.


	14. wind

(i don't own any of this.)

late two days in a row dammit this is NOT OKAY. never again.

but anwho, post-finale, a little obviously. short, not cause of the rush, but because i really meant it to be.

speaking of - KEYBOARD SMASH is all i can say without taking up too much space. i just - I CAN'T WITH IT OKAY. SCREAMING AND CRYING STILL. i wrote a one-shot for it, actually, called _into cinders_, about Korra and her bending with Makorra and fire. (if you read Prove the Point you're probably like, "really Liv? _really?_ more fire with them, is that really necessary?" and i KNOW i'm sorry i can't stop.) ahem, anyway, you can... read that... if you want.

today's real one should be up in a bit. :)

**day fourteen: wind.**

* * *

When he _finally_ asks her, as she knew he would, she feels her face heat up and isn't quite sure what to say.

It's late – early, if she gets technical. Mako's head is in her lap. She's combing through his hair with one hand and using the other to make miniature tornadoes chase each other around the room. Normally he'd be losing it over the mess all the wind is making, but there's something about tonight – this morning – _whatever_ – that's different. His eyes are closed: Korra's not really sure if he's awake or asleep.

"What do you think unlocked your airbending?"

That answers that question.

She looks down at him and he's looking through half-open eyes at the small-scale disaster all around them for a few moments before meeting her gaze, lifting his arm to brush his fingers along her cheek.

How hard she's fallen, she thinks, and from how high; but she isn't lying twisted and broken at the edge of the sea, and maybe that's part of it, losing her bending, even for such a short time. Tenzin had thought so, said (with unspoken apologies and regret and thanks and relief) that losing that part of herself that would always never change, that had made up so much of who she was had made room for airbending, open and unrestricted. Aang had agreed, when she'd spoken with him – _really_ spoken with him, for the first time – but his expression told her that he knew what she was thinking and agreed with her, too.

She thought, still thinks and remembers sitting against Naga in the quiet, with Mako just _looking_ at her like that, kind of like he is now, and pushing him away (gently, temporarily) because she'd realized.

Mako – he's it for her. There isn't going to be anyone else. This boy, who is smart and caring and protective and brave and, more secretly, passionate and funny, is the boy she loves and she's never going to be able to forget him. At the time, the knowledge – because she _knew_, she didn't know how she knew but she did – had been terrifying, and now… well, it's still terrifying, knowing that she's surrendered herself so fully to him, heart and soul (and body, eventually – soon), and she's never going to get her heart back, not really. And it's terrifying to know that she's _okay_ with that.

But it's freeing, too, in a way she can't explain even in her head. Before, he'd made her feel like she could fly. And she can.

She leans down, mutters a simple "I love you" against his lips, catches a glimpse of his eyebrows shooting up before she kisses him for real and her feet leave the ground.


	15. order

(don't own.)

takes place the night of the finale - they're all in the same room because i'm kinda going with slacktension's thing in "Strings" that the Krew had a big sleepover to hug and bro it out. :)

this is kinda like a canon rewrite of "pretty amazing," if you read that - because all the getting together stuff i wrote is AU now. HOH WELL. 'm all caught up now, so it's all good.

**day fifteen: order.**

* * *

The moon reflects off the snow and straight into the room, so it looks almost like the middle of the day instead of the middle of the night. Bolin and Asami are already asleep – they collapsed a couple hours ago, by her estimate – and for all Korra knows, so is Mako, but the tingling that lingers in the pit of her stomach tells her that he won't have gone without a word, not tonight.

She rolls over for only about the hundredth time; beds have always been uncomfortable on full moons, as if her body's wondering why she's wasting all this energy tossing and turning when she could be waterbending. The Avatar State isn't helping. All that power… her whole life it's always been just out of her reach, and today she grabbed it and held on with both hands. Everyone, the White Lotus, Tenzin, even Katara have never _really_ been able to put into words what it's like. She's never known bending like that, never known familiarity like that, and she's never needed it more than she needed it today, to realize that not only does she have her bending, but it never really left in the first place.

But how she felt in the Avatar State is next to nothing compared to how she felt when she kissed Mako. It sounds cheesy and stupid, but it also sounds like the truth.

"Hey, Mako," she says into the silence, taking care to keep her voice low.

From across the room, in the shadows: "Yeah?"

"Just seeing if you were awake."

"Yeah, I'm up." The springs of his bed squeak as he shifts. "Just… thinking."

"Never took you for a thinker. What're you thinking about?"

"Today." He hesitates and she hopes, imagines him blushing. "You."

A smile grows on her face and her stomach does a flip. "Me too."

"Never took you for a narcissist," he says. She hears rather than sees his smile.

"You know what I mean." An idea pops into her head and she sits up, swings her legs over the side of the bed. Her heart starts pounding, which is just as stupid, but he's always done this to her. "So – you're kinda my boyfriend now, right?"

The word gives her a strange thrill; she's never really thought she'd get to use it when talking about Mako.

"I'm pretty sure that was implied when I told you I love you."

That's even better, the best feeling in the world, and still the last thing Korra ever expects to hear leave his mouth. She pauses for a moment to absorb that information again – because, y'know, maybe she's dreaming this whole thing before saying, "Good. That makes this a lot easier," and she takes a breath, suddenly nervous. "Get up."

His tone is cautious, wary, perhaps rightfully so. After all, it's not much like him to play along like she wants him to. "Why?"

"Because."

More squealing from the bedsprings. She stands and meets him in the moonlit center of the room.

_He must be crazy_, she thinks, because he's not wearing anything but his tattered white tank top and this is the _South Pole_, but as her eyes rake up his body (he's so _tall_) – and don't get her wrong, she definitely appreciates the muscles in his arms and chest – and lock with his and see the fire behind them, always burning, she thinks, _of course_.

He looks down at her, smirking a little, and she smiles some more despite herself.

"Ask me why again," she says.

"Okay. Why?"

"Because," she repeats. "Remember that and this'll be even better."

"Why?"

She forces herself not to slap that cocky grin off his face, settles instead for rolling her eyes. Then she straightens, steeling herself.

"Kiss me."

His eyes flash. There goes the grin. He leans down to her, and almost like a dare, says, "Why?"

"Weren't you listening?" she says, resisting the urge to wrap her arms around his neck already and do it herself. "Because _why not_?"

And who is he to complain, anyway?

So he does.


	16. thanks

(nothing you recognize belongs to me.)

post-season one, at some shindig celebrating some new bender-nonbender laws - though that's not really important.

bringing back e4's flustered!Mako, because MY GOD HE WAS SO ADORKABLE. and now it's Makorra so it's even better.

**day sixteen: thanks.**

* * *

Korra and a dress aren't things that he's ever considered would go so well together.

But… whoa.

"So, how do I look?"

With her hair falling freely down her shoulders, that almost-but-impossible shy look on her face, that dress clinging so tight and dipping so _low_ – she's supposed to look professional, respectable, and she does, it's plenty modest, but… _whoa_.

He doesn't know what to do with his hands. What should he do with his hands? What should he _say_? He has to say something. He licks his dry lips and moves his mouth but no sound comes out, his tongue flopping around uselessly like a fish out of water. He's seen her in a dress before, but that was – _before,_ and this is different.

Approaching him, she starts to smile, already getting more comfortable while he keeps on stammering. Her hands smooth over his shoulders and Mako swallows past a painful lump in his throat.

"Something wrong?" she says mock-innocently, fiddling with his scarf and peering up at him through her lashes.

"No," he says, finding his voice. "You look beautiful."

A blush finally dusts across Korra's cheeks as he offers her his arm; she takes it.

"Great to know you only think so when I actually put some effort into getting ready," she says, "but thank you."

He trips over himself – literally, he stumbles, because he's too distracted by her to watch where he's going – trying to say, "No, that's not what I meant, I promise, I always think you're –"

She squeezes the crook of his elbow. "Just teasing."

He tries to calm his racing heart and thinks, _You have no idea_.


	17. look

(it all belongs to bryke.)

i'm just gonna go ahead and safely say that everything from this point on is post-season one unless i say otherwise, which i'm pretty sure i won't.

and this one's such a meh for me. just... meh. in other news, i'll either miss tomorrow or do it later because i'm having a complete, nonstop ATLA/LoK marathon so i won't have time. woop! but anyway... here you are.

**day seventeen: look.**

* * *

"Don't think I don't know you're awake."

Mako chuckled and pressed a blind kiss to the back of Korra's shoulder. She struggled against his restraining arm to turn onto her back and then her other side, so she was facing him. He opened his eyes to see her half-pouting, half-glaring at him. He grinned down at her.

"Good morning," he said, and she gave a reluctant giggle.

"Gonna let me up now?"

"Hmm…" Pulling her closer, so that their chests were pressed together, he could feel her face heat up as she buried it in his neck. "Let's go with no."

She smacked his shoulder. "Jerk."

He dragged his hand down the length of her back, drawing zigzags across her spine. "Funny, that's not what you were saying last night."

In retaliation she let her nails scrape along his side, his ribs and muscles, and he clenched his teeth in a grimace.

"Remind me why I love you again?" she said.

"That sounds like a challenge."

He felt the hitch in her breathing and the smile on his skin. "Maybe."

"In that case…" He drew back, brushing her hair out of the way so he could kiss her, just softly at first, because in the back of his head he knew there wasn't enough time and if he put any more fire into it he wouldn't be able to control himself.

Korra pulled away long enough to say, "Oh, yeah, I remember now," before diving back in, fully, curling her hand into a fist near his hip and pinching him slightly in the process, the other alternately pushing his hair flat against his head and tugging it. Hardly able to think straight, much less make a move to stop her, Mako didn't consider treachery a possibility, didn't even notice that his grip around her had slackened and she was raising herself up (well, maybe he noticed a little – what could he do when she was slipping her leg between his like that?), crawling backwards and breaking the kiss to swing her legs out of bed, throwing him a smirk over her shoulder.

"You should know better by now than to underestimate me," she said, with an exaggerated sigh and head-shake of disappointment. She put her hands up over her head and he watched her back flex for a few seconds as she stretched, debating internally. Then he decided that the possible harm she could further do to his body if he didn't execute this properly would be worth it because she couldn't expect him to lie there and act like he could just ignore the fact that she was naked and easily within reach.

So he wound his arms around her waist again, his fingers skimming across her stomach until they met and locked together, which allowed him to throw her back on top of him and over him as he rolled, trapping her between himself and the wall.

"What do you think you're doing?" she said.

"What are _you_ doing?"

"_I _was going to get dressed."

"See, that's the part I have a problem with."

"I can't just walk around without any clothes on –"

"Well…"

"– no matter how much _you_ might enjoy it. Now let me up."

She tapped on his chest. He held on tight for another moment or two, said, "Only because I love you," and let go, shifting onto his back so she could climb back over him, finally getting up.

Mako propped himself up on his elbow and stared shamelessly while she retrieved clean clothes from her dresser and put them on, keeping her back to him. After she finished with pulling a shirt over her head, she met his eyes and blushed. "What?"

Realizing his mouth was slightly open, he closed it.


	18. summer

(these two cutiepies are all Bryke's.)

a tidbit you'll understand after you read this that i couldn't fit in - Mako always has to get Korra up for this because they want to do it before everyone's awake, but she's such a sleeper. and then sometimes they have to do it later because they were doing a little something other than sleeping the night before, if you know what i mean. ;) and Asami and Bolin don't always come with on their "adventures" cause they're busy but Mako always stays with Korra. HEADCANONS FOR MY OWN STORY. YES.

but anyway, this might be one of my new favorites. these two are just so adorable it hurts and i'm going to shit brix in season 2 when they're an actual COUPLE. *dies*

**day eighteen: summer.**

* * *

Blowing fire into his hands and rubbing them together to regain some feeling in them, Mako once again wondered at the wisdom of fingerless gloves. But proper ones always felt wrong, constricting, and somehow they made it hard to breathe. He didn't know if it was a firebender thing or just his thing; he'd never thought to ask another firebender.

Not that he knew many, come to think of it. Not any he could really talk to. Of course, there was Korra – there would always be Korra – but she was the Avatar, he thought, crossing his arms tightly for the warmth and studying her closed eyes, so that didn't exactly count.

Meditating together had become routine over the past couple years. When everything around them was constantly changing, it was nice to have something steady to look forward to every morning that was just the two of them. In the beginning, Bolin and Asami had tried to join in, but Bolin didn't have the patience to sit still for so long (or to force himself to get used to it) and though Asami claimed it just didn't work for her, Mako knew she could pick up on the subtle "alone time" vibes and left them to it.

He'd never really been one for meditating – more, he thought, because he'd never had the time than because he didn't have the patience. It was odd at first, sitting across from her in the silence with his eyes closed, but he grew to enjoy it, learned to feel the sun even through a thick layer of clouds and to recognize Korra's presence in the air around him, loud even in the quiet. It kept him sane.

And the fact that when he _couldn't_ always maintain his focus, especially when his butt was dampened by snow and he was starting to lose sensation there and in his toes and fingers and nose, he could always sneak more than a few peeks at Korra? An added bonus. The only problem was –

"Do I have something on my face?"

– she could always tell. He didn't know how, but she caught him _every_ – _time._

She was smirking.

There would already be hell to pay later for his failure ("Mako, you _promised_, we shook on it and _everything_, there were even _pinkies_ involved" – even as an almost-adult she was still a child – an adorable one, but a child nonetheless), so he figured it couldn't hurt too terribly much if he stretched his leg out and nudged her knee with his foot. Her brow furrowed for an instant.

"Was that you?" she said.

"No."

He expected her to call him out and wasn't disappointed:

"Liar."

He grinned and did it again, and then again at her lack of reaction. Her eyes opened and instantly narrowed at him.

"_So_ not necessary," she said. He lifted his shoulders in a small shrug, limited by his folded arms, which she seemed to notice for the first time. "How are you cold?"

"How are you _not?"_ he said, mumbling a little to prevent his teeth from chattering; the teasing would only be worse if they did.

Korra stared at him. "Mako, it's the middle of summer."

He stared back. Time tended to lose its meaning, traveling so much. Sometimes he couldn't remember what day of the week it was, but to lose track of the _seasons? _They'd been in the Northern Water Tribe for too long.

At length he said, "Really?"

"Yes, _really_. It's the summer solstice, actually –"

"Doesn't feel like it," he grumbled, and called the flames just short of his hands so they were hot as he rubbed his arms. "Summer in the North Pole sucks." Hopeful, he looked at her. "Warm me up?"

She rolled her eyes but leaned forward to kiss him anyway, slow and deep, the kind of kiss he could feel even in his numb toes. He raised his hands to cup her face and his fingers had just brushed the underside of her jaw when she was pulling back, and he couldn't hold in a noise of irritation that admittedly sounded kind of like a whine.

"You _are_ freezing," she said, gripping his fingers. She brought them up to her mouth and blew on them, kissed their callused tips and let them drop. "Go back inside. Get warm. I think Aang wants to have a chat with me."

"I can stay."

"No, it's okay." She smiled. "I don't want to be dating a block of ice."

"If you're sure…" Mako got to his feet, used her head for balance while he leaned down and pressed his lips to the top of it – spirits, she was so _short_ – "Don't do anything stupid."

"No promises."

Using her bending to spin the ice beneath her and turn herself around, a sign that _their_ meditation time was really over ("rule number three: no bending") and Avatar time was beginning, he saw her straighten her posture, her shoulders rise and fall with her breathing as it evened out.

He hesitated. He didn't like it when Korra went into the Spirit World; hell, he knew it wasn't her favorite place in the world, either – the loss of bending there made them both paranoid, and he knew she had an eternally unspoken fear that she'd come back to her body and it would be permanent. Korra could handle herself, and it wasn't like she was doing anything particularly dangerous, she was only speaking with Aang, but her trips to the Spirit World always put him on edge.

Maybe he'd stay and watch her. Just in case.


	19. transformation

(don't own it.)

shit guys i'm so sorry, my marathon got out of hand and my sleep schedule and writing is just really hard, okay? so i'm way behind but i'll catch up soon - i mean _today, _i mostly promise.

anyway. i pretty much just gave up on this one, spat something out, so here.

**day nineteen**ish**: transformation.**

* * *

"I still think this is a bad idea."

Mako glances at her over his shoulder before turning back to whatever it is he's cooking on the stove. "You're doing fine," he says.

He's right. Everything's fine. Bolin and Asami are occupying Ikki and Meelo and Jinora's keeping to herself and Rohan's not crying, at least, so that's good, right?

It's just – well, she never signed up to be a babysitter. Although she guesses she never signed up to be the Avatar, either, but she is. This is her situation and now she's gotta deal with it. And it's not like it's complete torture. The kids are like the younger siblings she's never had and she's not going to pretend she doesn't love spending time with them, because she does. Having to take care of them, however – take care of a _baby_, who has to have constant attention – is another thing entirely.

Rohan waves his little fist around, and the tiny balls that dangle from strings hit the circular sides of his wooden toy, like some weird drum. Korra's not really sure what to do with him other than make sure he doesn't, y'know. Die, or something.

One of the balls catches her in the chin on his next pass; it doesn't hurt but she says, "Ouch!" on reflex, and Rohan giggles, swinging it again, as if he's trying now. This time she dodges.

"Think that's funny, huh?" she mutters. _"Huh?" _

Very lightly, she moves her fingers to his sides and tickles him. He giggles harder, wriggling out of her grasp.

She looks up and finds Mako staring at her, leaning against the counter, arms crossed. She realizes she's grinning widely and drops it down to a smile.

"What?"

He stands up straight, keeps looking as he turns back around, shakes his head a little bit. "Nothing." The corners of his mouth are smiling.

He bends down to check the flame beneath the pot, takes the lid off and peers inside. A lot of steam and a fantastic smell come out before he covers it again.

"Almost ready," he says, sitting down next to her. He reaches out to Rohan, letting the toy hit his palm, grabbing it and playing tug-o-war for a second or two and letting go.

Rohan rolls over toward him, puts his hands on the floor, makes to raise himself up. Mako slips his hands under his arms and lifts him onto his feet, mostly supporting him. "You're getting big."

Gurgling incoherently, Rohan grabs for his scarf, pulling Mako's head forward. Korra smirks.

"Don't say I didn't warn you," she says, but she's still close enough for him to grab onto one of her front wolftails, too, and there's a sharp pain in her scalp as she's tugged forward as well.

"That's karma," says Mako.

"Shut up, I'm actually – ow, ow, _ow!_ – actually in _pain_ over here – ouch! Rohan, come on, let go –"

She tries to pry open his fingers, but no luck. Mako's hand covers hers, moves it out of the way, and she can't see much because her head's turned sideways, but he must have more success because a moment later she's free.

"Thanks," she says.

"No problem." He chuckles as Rohan's fist moves to the end of the scarf and he moves it toward his mouth. "And that's where I draw the line. Nice try, buddy."

Gently, he pulls his scarf from the baby's grasp, tossing it over his shoulder and out of reach, and for a single, terrifying moment Korra's (irrationally, maybe) sure he's about to cry, but Mako scrunches up his face and sticks his tongue out. Rohan giggles some more.

The look in his eyes, the soft smile, the steady movements of his hands – she's never seen him like this. It makes her heart glow and sing, and she catches herself watching him, smiling again.

He meets her gaze. "What?"

The feeling is almost suffocating, in the best possible way. This is what she wants, for the rest of her life, forever.

"Nothing, it's just –" She plays with Rohan's tiny fingers, then laces hers with Mako's, looking back up at him with some kind of a laugh. "I really love you."


	20. tremble

(i own absolutely nothing you see here.)

i don't know whether to be ashamed or proud of this, and not because it's crappy writing because it's not. it's um, it's limey, actually. gettin' hot and heavy, yup. and i have _no idea what i'm doing_ so let's hope i didn't totally f- this up, kay? i'm just gonna go burn up in the sun now.

headcanon: every time Mako and Korra walk back to their apartment together, they have a race to see who can get their keys out faster. Korra hasn't won yet. (and Bolin always uses metalbending but that's not important.)

trying my best to catch up, guys!

**day twenty**ish**: tremble.**

* * *

The lock doesn't turn – that's right, he has to jiggle it. He does, and the door swings open.

"And I was so close this time, too," Korra whines, with half a laugh, and she looks more disappointed than is probably necessary. On the way to his (unofficially _their_) room, she tosses her keys onto the kitchen table; he sticks his back into his pocket. Determination glints in her eyes as she cuts him a glance. "I'll beat you eventually."

"_Eventually_ being the key word there, right?" Mako raises his eyebrow, grinning as he follows after her. "But for now, I'll just keep on winning if that's okay with you."

With a big sigh, she flops belly-first onto his (unofficially _their_) bed (they've shared it before, many times, but never like that). "It's not," she says, her words muffled by a pillow.

"Let me rephrase that, then." He stretches out next to her, taking a moment to admire the smooth curve of her back. "_Whether or not_ it's okay with you."

"Why do I even put up with you?" She turns her head toward him, narrows her eyes and – _oh no_ – pouts slightly.

"I don't know," he says. Absentmindedly he stretches his hand out to her cheek, brushing some of her hair out of her eyes. "Aren't you supposed to love me or something?"

"Oh. Yeah," she says, less-than-enthusiastically, and then she smiles, curling up on her side. "I guess I do."

"That's reassuring."

"Shut up." Korra delivers a gentle kick to his shin. "You know I love you. You're clueless and clumsy and a total dork, but you're hot and you feed me, so…"

She smirks through his glare, shaking the bed with silent laughter.

"Right, of course. And you can kick my ass in everything you do – wait, sorry." He grins, kind of a challenge, and he knows she'll accept because she _hates_ to lose. "_Almost_ everything."

"You're such a –"

As anticipated, she tries to shove him right onto the floor, but he braces himself against her foot, catches one wrist and then the other. It's a struggle – because _Agni_, she's so _strong_ – until he thinks of the one thing that might work, that she probably won't (but maybe should) expect. Just as he starts to make his move she makes hers, somehow wresting her hands from his grip and pinning his wrists on either side of his head, on top of him, her hair falling in a curtain around them. Before he really knows it she's kissing him, the way she does, where she does this thing where she makes the world go dark and quiet, unlike the happy shouts in the streets and the lanterns strung up all along the buildings outside and it's just her mouth and the warmth of her body lined up against his; there's not really a conscious decision on his part but then he's nearly throwing her onto her back, hovering above her with a victorious grin.

"What am I?" he says, breathless, like a dare, and pulls away when she tries to kiss him again. "You were saying I was something."

She has to blink once or twice. Then, scowling just a little, "You're such a _jerk_."

"A hot jerk, apparently."

"Would you just –"

She brings him back down to her, tugging on the hair at the back of his head, and a chuckle builds up in him and comes out in between kisses.

"– finish your sentence for you?" he says. "Gladly."

There's a sound, almost like a growl, and it takes a second for Mako to realize it came from Korra, that it's _frustrated_, impatient, and maybe he really should shut up now because how often is he going to have this opportunity, how long is this going to last? What if he wakes up and she's not there, what if it's all just a dream (an extremely pleasant, vivid dream)? So he kisses her hard, starts to nip down the column of her neck, smiles when he feels her vocal cords vibrate, her moan muted in his ears.

"What time – what time do you think Bolin'll be back?"

"Don't know," he mutters against her skin. "Don't care."

"Good answer," she says, and pulls him up again, biting down on his lower lip and moving her hands between them, trying to undo the buttons on his jacket, but after the first one her fingers keep slipping and he sits up to undo them himself and wrestle out of the sleeves, discarding it somewhere behind him and letting her seize him by the hair – he doesn't even notice the scarf join the jacket a moment later.

She tugs at his shirt, pulls it every which way; it's as though she's trying to knead his skin through the cloth and it hits him then just how tight the stupid thing feels, constricting and okay, that's really just an excuse to yank it over his head because if he doesn't feel her bare flesh against his soon he might set something on fire, and he's just thinking that it's really unfair for her to still be so fully clothed when he jumps: in the distance, a clock is chiming midnight.

"Korra," he whispers, his voice cracking, and she parts just enough to look at him. He can feel his limbs shaking slightly, almost on the inside, at the bone. Her breath is broken, stutters across his lips, but she takes his face in hands unwavering and her words are solid and impossibly clear.

"I love you, I understand what we're doing, I want you, and I'm ready," she says. "Unless you can't say any of those things, I don't think we have a problem."

They're so closely entwined he's sure she can feel his heart pounding out of his chest (he even thinks he can feel hers). All he can do is stare at her for another second, shake his head, and breathe, "I love you so much."

Then he kisses her and everything, all his senses seem to spike at once before it all just kind of fades away.


	21. sunset

('tall belongs to Bryke.)

some Mama Mako for you because Mama Mako is flawless.

can i just take a second to say that i was BLOWN AWAY by all the reviews i got between the last chapter and this one? and hell, for that matter, all of them. you guys are just, you're - DAMN YOU GUYS ARE COOL CATS OKAY and here have a cookie.

also because it's more implied than made clear this takes place at sunset so there you go.

**day twenty-one**ish**: sunset.**

* * *

Everything was fuzzy when she woke, almost sapped of color. She rolled over to shield her eyes from the sunbeam that was streaming straight into her face and quickly discovered that her head was pounding, and she couldn't hold back a groan.

Footsteps – spirits, even that was too loud – and then a soft voice said, "Korra? You awake?"

As an answer she groaned again. "Be quiet," she said, drawing the blankets tighter around her and wincing at her own volume.

A weight dipped the bed; even the tiny motion made her stomach writhe. "Sorry," the voice whispered, and it took her a few foggy seconds for her to realize it was Mako. "You've been sleeping all day," he informed her. "I was getting kind of worried."

Oh, all day. That was nice. She must've gotten plenty of – wait a second.

Without thinking she shot up.

_"All day?" _It came out in a sort of weak screech, but the room started spinning and she put a hand to her head. Mako gently took her by the shoulders and guided her back to the bed.

"Yeah. I didn't wanna wake you. You looked like you really needed it." He caressed her cheek with his fingers, and she lifted her shoulders, burrowed deeper into the sheets because even though she loved him (really, she did), him being so close was still making her sick.

"Gee, thanks," she muttered. Mako seemed to get the message, because she didn't have to shrug him off or bat him away.

"Do you need me to get you anything?" he asked.

Now that she thought about it, her mouth was really dry. "A glass of water."

"Okay."

He got up. Before he could leave the room again she called – or tried to, anyway – "And close the curtains!"

There was the sound of the curtain rings sliding along the metal rod, more footsteps, the cupboard door closing, running water, and all of it combined was at the same time amplified and dulled – louder but blurrier, harder to make out for what it was. But thinking about it too much made her head hurt even more, so she stopped.

After just a few moments Mako was back. "Here," he said. "Do you need me to –?"

She wasn't a cripple or a hospital patient or dying (well, it may have felt like it a little, but), so "No."

Even so she struggled to sit up on her own. Her arms shook slightly and so did her hand as she took the glass from him and drank most of the water in one swallow.

"That's so much better," she said, taking a deep breath and flopping back down.

Mako set the glass on the bedside table. "Anything else?"

Korra sighed, considered shaking her head and decided that probably wasn't wise. "Just lay with me."

Without breathing another word he moved to the other side of the bed and slipped beneath the covers, scooting up behind her and somewhat hesitantly slinging his arm over her waist. The solid presence of his warm chest was the last thing that registered in her head before she fell back into sleep.


	22. mad

(don't own it.)

short but god do you have any idea how badly i wanted to write this? can be viewed as a follow-up to "flame" or a separate, on-its-own canon event, and also kind of a tip-of-the-hat to "knowledge." uh, warning for blood, i guess. (and that's the point when you start freaking out, right? have fun!)

**day twenty-two**ish**: mad.**

* * *

He's seen her mad before, sure. But never furious, never fully enraged.

Not like this.

There's red everywhere, pooling down his side and staining his hands, there's so much red and he can't stop it, it's _everywhere_ and he doesn't know what to do with it, he can't hold all of it because – oh, _spirits_, it's blood and it's _him_, himself just pouring out of him, and it's still so warm, hot against cold hands, like it's on fire, _everywhere_.

But Korra needs him now, more than ever, so he finds his strength, pulls it up out of the sea of red and he staggers toward her, leaning forward against the wind as it stings his eyes because he has to get to her, has to get closer – _she needs him._

"K-Korra," he says through gritted teeth, and louder, so much louder, _"Korra!"_

She doesn't give any indication of hearing him and where has she gone where even his voice can't reach her?

"Korra!"

A jagged pebble flies through the air, slashes across the side of his neck and he's hardly even aware of it thanks to the pain and fire in his side. Mako stands up as straight as he can manage, reaches above his head where she's hovering and latches onto her arm, holding himself up with it. Her head snaps to him and her eyes are brighter than the sun, a terrifying white glow, and she's looking at him but she's not, she's not seeing him at all, it's like he's a total stranger and she doesn't even recognize him. Where'd she go? Where's Korra, lost behind the Avatar?

He knows she's there. Just like she knows him. She _does_.

His breath is leaving him in strangled gasps; he coughs twice, harshly, and his chest aches with the effort of pulling her down to earth, pulling her back to him. Moving his hands to her face, he sees the red handprints he's leaving on her, marking her with them, red red red against the dark brown of her skin.

"Come on, Korra, please," he says in a rough mumble, staring right into the light, searching. He tries to smooth the hard lines in her face with his fingers, paints a trail, a pattern of red, asymmetrical. As the wind finally starts to die they collapse to the ground and Korra falls into arms that barely wrap around her and he whispers, "I need you."


	23. thousand

(nothing you recognize belongs to me.)

this doesn't totally make sense but i don't really care because I'M ALL CAUGHT UP NOW. take that, biatch. BOOM BABY. anyway here have a drabble. (psst - it's like a day or two after "order." just sayin'. if you care.) okay done with this for today see you guys tomorrow, i promise.

**day twenty-three: thousand.**

* * *

Just before dawn – or at least, what he thinks is just before dawn – he finds her lying in the snow like the crazy person she is, face turned up to the sky. As he approaches her he lets off a short stream of fire a few feet above her, close enough for her to feel it, and he hopes it warms her up.

Korra grins, tilts her head back to look at him. "Hey."

Mako tucks his hands deeper into his pockets, looking down at her. "What are you doing out here?"

"Not freezing to death, if that's what you were thinking." When he rolls his eyes, she makes a face. "This is how I grew up. I'm used to it. It's in my blood."

"Lucky you," he says, shivering again. Her eyes catch it.

"Yeah, I guess," she says. "Lay down with me."

"Because that's gonna help." Sometimes he's not sure Korra knows what logic is. This is one of those times.

"Come on." She sticks her hand almost straight into the air, up to him. "Trust me."

And he does, so he plops down beside her, stiffens while he eases back into the snow, numbing him. Korra wastes no time in shifting so she's draped across his chest; he wraps his arms around her and their combined body heat is enough to keep him from freezing solid (and if he did, well, at least she'd be here with him).

This feeling is still so new, tender and raw like a fresh wound, and he's almost tentative to touch it, scared that he'll only tighten his grip on smoke and dust. Then he looks down and she's there with one hand fisted in the fur of his borrowed parka and the other on his heart, as though it was always meant to be this way, and he presses a kiss to the top of her head.

"I was counting stars," she says after a moment, and it's small in the silence, swallowed up by the vast emptiness that hangs just above them, just out of reach. He can't say he blames her: The sky here is like nothing he's ever dreamed about, the stars so thick he can hardly tell one from another, let alone count them separately. Back home, the city lights dulled most of the stars, although he guesses he didn't really know that until he'd seen the South Pole.

He smiles. "Yeah? And how was that working out for you?"

"I guess it could've gone better," and he feels her cheeks lift against him. "But it's something I always used to do as a kid. My dad would take me outside and we'd count the stars and he'd tell me stories until I fell asleep."

The image of Korra as a child, lying like this with her father, is one he never wants to let go of. "What's the highest you ever got to?"

She presses her face further into his chest and her stomach moves with her sigh. "I think I almost got to a thousand once," she says. "A few nights before I started my earthbending training."

"Why couldn't you sleep then?" he asks, though he thinks he knows the answer, and he gets it when she doesn't say anything. "You were nervous."

"Only a little."

"But – I've hardly ever seen you nervous about anything."

"Oh, yes, you have. You just never noticed."

"There's no way you were nervous about pro-bending."

"And there's no way you're really that clueless!" she says, lifting herself up – he instantly misses her warmth – to look at him, and he can't see her properly but he thinks or maybe imagines she's blushing. "I'm talking about _you_, Mako."

"I made you nervous? _Really?"_ he says, and his voice gets kind of ridiculously high-pitched so he clears it.

"Uh, _yeah_," Korra says, and next second she's hiding her face and muttering as though he's not meant to hear her, "Still do."

His stomach lurches pleasantly. "Well..." How's he supposed to respond to that? "You make me nervous, too."

There's a pause before she relaxes against him, allowing him to do the same. For once he hasn't screwed everything up. He's improving. He's learning. Good.

"So, uh" – he clears his throat again – "how far did you get before I came out here? Counting the stars, I mean."

More silence; by instinct he starts rolling away from her, which turns out to be the right move because she's smacking his shoulder hard enough to hurt.

"You made me lose count, damn it!" she says, a laugh behind the words. "And I was getting close to a thousand again!"

He's laughing too as he rolls back over, wrapping his arms around her again, hugging her tight to restrain her arms. "Oops," he says, grinning as she lets her head fall forward into the crook of his neck. "I hope you know there are way more than a thousand stars out there."

"I know." Her breath comes out hot against his throat. "But that doesn't mean I can't try to count them all."


	24. outside

(i own absolutely none of this.)

this is a bit of a follow-up to "thanks," at that yay-benders-and-nonbenders-can-live-in-harmony-now-thanks-to-these-new-laws-ball thing. features more briefly flustered!Mako and their height difference because i can't even handle how cute that is and you know Korra would never be caught dead in heels.

**day twenty-four: outside.**

* * *

As it turns out, "ballroom" doesn't have to be code for "torture chamber." This really is more of a _celebration _than an official _event_; sure, everyone's dressed in their best clothes and she's still supposed to be on her best behavior and the whole thing's fairly classy, but there's good music and champagne (she slips a glass to Bolin, still considered underage, while Mako's not looking) and it almost manages to feel like a party.

Korra tries not to snort too loudly or lean too heavily on Asami when she points out one politician's painfully obvious toupee, but it's getting harder and harder to keep a straight face because as the night goes on and more strangers she doesn't know come up to congratulate her, thank her, it's starting to sink in that she's not a complete failure, that yes, she really has accomplished what she set out to do, she really has done her job as the Avatar, and maybe she's a year late but the thought makes it impossible to stop herself from smiling.

Spotting Mako dragging Bolin toward her, however, sobers her up. She can't see their faces through the crowd, but either way she gets this sinking feeling that tells her she's in trouble.

"Oh, no," she mutters, and to Asami, "What should I do?"

Still calm, Asami tilts her head to the side, watches them approach. "Play dumb," she says after a moment of contemplation.

Korra nods. "Okay – but wait, doesn't that get Bolin in trouble?"

"I hadn't thought of that."

She bites her lip, thinking. "He'd be harder on Bo than he would be on me." And when Asami raises a suggestive eyebrow, "Shut up. He never stays mad at me. And it's not like Bolin never drinks – it's not like _he _never drinks!"

"Save your argument for him," says Asami, nudging her as they draw near. "Also, thanks for taking the fall for me."

"Wait, _what?"_

"You're not the only one he asked for help! I just can't say no to him."

Before she can come up with an adequate response to that, the boys are there. Both of them are smiling – Bolin a little sheepishly – but Mako's not hiding the grip he's got on the back of his brother's jacket.

"Hello, ladies," Bolin says, attempting some restrained form of a bow.

Korra widens her eyes at him: _What happened?_

The same wide eyes, a shrug and a shake of the head: _Don't look at me!_

She shoots him a brief glare and looks to Mako, smiling. She hopes it looks convincing. "Where have you been all night?" she asks.

His hold shifts, tightening or loosening, she can't tell. "What do you mean?"

"I feel like I haven't seen you since we got here."

His face softens then, his grin relaxing a bit. "Well, you were busy being the Avatar, making announcements and talking to people," he says. "I didn't want to be in the way."

Out of the corner of her eye, Asami slips away into the throng of people.

"You're not in the way" – she pokes him in the chest – "you're the Avatar's _date_. I mean, I know your social skills kind of suck and everything –"

"Look who's talking, Miss _I-Was-Raised-in-Social-Isolation_ –"

"– but all you have to do is stand there and look good, and you already do a pretty good job of that, so I don't really see what the problem is."

Mako flushes slightly, seems to forget Bolin is there at all but is still holding fast. "Again" – he gestures to her nice dress, his eyes trailing up and down her body, and Korra feels her cheeks warm – "look who's talking."

Sensing her one possible escape route, she leans forward and says (probably unnecessarily) into his ear, "It's a little crowded in here, do you wanna go outside?"

He swallows as she pulls away and clears his throat, glancing back and forth between her and Bolin. "I, uh – well – I mean –"

So she's still able to get him this flustered, she thinks, and grins. That could really come in handy someday. Like maybe right now.

On the exhale he says, "Sure," and at that moment his hand slackens and she takes the opportunity to half-pull, half-shove Bolin out of his grasp, to the safety of the crowd.

"Save yourself!" she says as he starts to wind his way through and around conversations; she's not sure she'll be able to get away and she's not sure she wants to. She heads in the opposite direction, for drafty breeze and the door that leads to the garden outside with Mako right on her heels – he doesn't call her name but she knows as if by instinct that he's following her, just as he always has.

She manages to make it outside before he catches or lets himself catch up, grabbing onto her hand at the same time she notices they're alone. "Korra…"

She turns to face him, leaning back on a railing that's been put up like some sort of weak gate, and laces their fingers, looking innocently back up at him. "What?"

For a few seconds he stares at her. Then he shakes his head, sighs. "Aren't you supposed to be setting a good example or something?"

"Or something," she says, grinning again. "Who am I supposed to be setting a good example for?"

"People," he says. "I thought the Avatar was a kind of role model for everyone to look up to. Well, not me, obviously –"

"Enough with the stupid height thing." She smacks his shoulder. "What, do you think I'm a bad role model?"

"Only when you support underage drinking."

"Gosh, you're so _boring!"_

"I am not."

"Oh yeah?" Korra leans up to him, on her toes, their lips almost touching. "Prove it."

Most of the sound from inside is muffled except for what streams out from the open door – the clean sound of trumpets drifts over their heads, and Mako seems to almost follow it with his gaze, meeting hers again. "Dance with me," he says.

She looks at him funny. "Since when do you know how to dance? Since when do you ever _want _to dance?"

"Trying to be spontaneous here."

Without further protest than a roll of her eyes, she allows him to pull her toward him, settle his hands on her waist, and she wraps her arms around his neck as they start to sway.

(She has to draw the line at resting his chin on top of her head, because come on, hasn't he made her feel short enough for one night?)


	25. winter

(i don't own it.)

i have a bunch of headcanons for how the Krew sleeps thanks to this. my original idea was gonna be different (and probably happier), but then i realized it fit more for Borra and now i wanna write the Borra version of how this would go just to be contrary. what can i say, i'm a multishipper. anyway, here's this short whatever-it-is.

**day twenty-five: winter.**

* * *

It wasn't unusual for Korra to wake up and realize she'd once again stolen all the blankets. What _was_ unusual was the fact that _all the blankets_ seemed to be an enormous pile of every quilt they owned.

She sat up, rubbing her eyes and shoving the pile off her. "Mako?"

She could see him moving in the dim light from the window, walking back into their bedroom with yet another blanket in his hands.

"What are you doing?" she said.

"It's cold outside," he mumbled as he threw it over her and leaned over to tuck it around her legs as best he could with the thick layer the others made. That seemed to be the last one, because then he climbed into his side of the bed, slipped under the single sheet there, and curled up in a tiny ball with his back to her.

She kicked at the pile so it was easier to scoot closer to him, wrapping her arms around him. "Mako, come on, it's freezing," and it was; now that she was outside of the covers, her skin prickled with goosebumps. She slid her hands down his arms and covered his, which were clenched into tight fists, knuckles white and tendons popping. "Your hands are like _ice_, are you okay?"

He didn't resist when she tugged on his shoulder, letting her roll him over to her. His eyes were squeezed shut. He was shivering.

"Hey." She shook him. "Hey, Mako, wake up. _Mako. Wake up_." And she knew better than to say it was just a nightmare because it wasn't, not for him. "Come on, it's all okay now." But that – that was the truth.

Mako's eyes snapped open, took a moment to seize on her in the dark, and when his expression started to clear and lighten, he embraced her, gently, but he held her as if he never wanted to let go.


	26. diamond

(i don't own anything here.)

slightly related to "knowledge." my headcanon is that Korra's actually a huge history nerd - like she likes to read, just nonfiction. so yeah. this.

not that i'm not enjoying myself with this, because i am, but i'm so ready to be done with this challenge. i don't like feeling like writing is work, which this one kind of is, and it really has nothing to do with diamonds and is cheesy in like a bad way and i screwed up the ending and it's just weird. like i like it just fine it's just off to me but whatever.

**day twenty-six: diamond.**

* * *

The thing about Korra was that she wasn't much for material things (other than food, maybe – somehow he got the feeling that handing over a bowl of seaweed noodles wouldn't go over too well). And there was nothing wrong with that – it was one thing they had in common – but right now, watching the sun get ready to dip down below the horizon, it was the reason Mako was on the verge of a minor panic attack.

Because of _course_ he had to keep the whole thing a secret and not ask her about it; of _course_ he couldn't have gone to Bolin or Asami for help; of _course_ he had to wander _alone_ through the shopping district _all afternoon_ with _absolutely no idea_ what he was looking for because he was too stupid to have the foresight to actually come up with some possibilities beforehand. Korra's do-first, think-later attitude was starting to rub off on him. Spontaneity, she'd called it.

Stupidity, Mako was thinking now. Stupid, dumb, idiot.

He tugged on the collar of his jacket, loosening his scarf as he passed by another jewelry store, but he knew better than to go inside. Not only were all of the prices way out of his range, but there was never anything that he thought Korra would want. She wasn't one for flashy, showy things, much less a necklace or a bracelet of some sort – she always stuck with her Water Tribe armbands and that was good enough for her. Still, he wished he had the money to at least show her how much he really appreciated her, enough to get a diamond or pearl necklace or something. Something nice.

No – he shook his head while he walked, paused at a corner, and decided he'd have a better chance across the street – never think about the what-ifs. He had to do what he could with what he had, and nothing was going to change that. Besides, Korra knew he loved her. He made sure of it.

He was just wondering whether there was a store left that he hadn't passed when a sign caught his eye, and with it a memory played in his mind. The soft lull of her voice, her hair against his cheek, the wind blowing gently through the trees outside the window… Maybe, he thought, backtracking, looking both ways before jogging toward it, he could find something…

The next evening he watched her smiling face as he finally handed her a small, hastily wrapped package (he'd never really been any good at decorating anyway), the last one of the night. She kept glancing at him as she tore through the paper. He held his breath.

First she picked up a small notecard he'd slipped inside and read the words he'd scrawled there. Then, rolling her eyes but still smiling, she ran her hand over the worn cover of the book she held and started to flip through the pages.

"I figured, y'know, since you wanted to read Aang's journals, maybe it'd help if you could get some other Avatars' perspectives, too," he explained. "This one was Avatar Kuruk's."

Korra looked up at him. "Do you know anything about Kuruk?"

"No," said Mako, suddenly nervous. "Why, should I?"

Her shoulders shook with a laugh. "I'll tell you about him later. I'm just glad you have such high hopes for our relationship."

"What?"

She laughed again, leaning in to peck him on the lips, mindful of all the people around them. "Nothing. I love it. Thank you."

Her eyes were bright and she laced her fingers through his and he thought he saw her slip the note into her pocket.

_I'd give you the world if I could, but I don't think it'd fit on Air Temple Island. Sorry._

_Happy birthday, Korra._

_Love, Mako._


	27. letters

(i don't own any of this.)

whoa. been a few days, huh? sorry about that. i got lazy, so this might stretch past tomorrow (when it was supposed to end) so i can really do the work on the last few.

tried something different with this one, getting literal for once. a little background: Rai's too young to be left alone without one of her parents, only two or three, so for the first time Mako has to stay behind while Korra does her Avatar thing. also - don't freak about the ending, unless you want it to be sad. otherwise if you're curious as to what actually happened in my head, you can just review/PM me and i'll tell you.

one more thing - it's 4 in the morning so if there's something i really screwed up spelling or format-wise, tell me. anyway.

**day twenty-seven**ish**: letters.**

* * *

Mako,

You said to write you when I made it to Ba Sing Se, so… I made it to Ba Sing Se! Not much has changed since we were here, but I'm guessing I'm not gonna have nearly as much fun as we did when we were here together.

The meetings are all set to start tomorrow (the trip took a little longer than I thought – don't worry, it was nothing big). Days and days on end, locked in a room with a bunch of stuffy old guys, arguing with each other. Woopee.

Well, hopefully it shouldn't take too long to set everything straight, although I guess I'll find out what the situation is tomorrow. I'll be back before you have time to miss me.

Tell Rai I saw a bunch of ostrich-horses on my way here, and I thought of her every time.

Love,

Korra

...

Korra,

And by "fun" you mean almost getting banned from the city, right? Let's just hope that doesn't happen this time around.

I'm a little afraid to ask, but since I'm kind of obligated to… what happened on your way there, exactly? No sugar-coating. If you got hurt, I need to know.

Just keep your head while you deal with them, all right? Don't do anything stupid. Chances are things will run longer if you do. And as for missing you… it's a little late for that.

Rai drew you a picture. What do you think? It looks pretty accurate to me.

Love,

Mako

...

Mako,

Hey, I'm the Avatar. They can't ban me from anywhere, much less the capital of the Earth Kingdom. You, on the other hand… Well. You got lucky.

There was just a minor riot in a village I passed. A few bumps and bruises, that's all. Naga did most of the work, anyway. _Nothing big_.

So apparently my old earthbending master is here for the meetings. It didn't really occur to me that he was a person of influence back here. I haven't seen him in so long… It was really great to talk to him again, and we're going to try to find some spare time to catch up when we get a chance. I wish you were here to visit him with me – I think you'd like him.

I don't want to bore you with the details – money, money, money, and oh yeah, more money – but everything's kind of tense. Some Earth Kingdom idiot keeps bringing up the Hundred Year War and bad blood with the Fire Nation and it won't be long before a fight breaks out and it's not like I can just tell him to shut his fat mouth (seriously, this guy's the size of an elephant seal, I didn't know people came in that size) because I've gotta put the Avatar pants on and _keep balance_ but I really don't know how that's possible when obviously nobody wants to finish this before they keel over and die! It's like they enjoy putting themselves through this kind of torture.

Sorry. Have I mentioned that I hate this?

And it doesn't help that I hate that I hate this so much. This is my job, keeping the peace. It's what I do. But we haven't been away from each other since... pretty much since we met, and I haven't been away from Rai at all. Maybe I'm homesick or something. Just a little.

Tell Rai it's beautiful and it made my day. I'm not sure if I'll be bringing an ostrich-horse home – good news for you – but I'll see what I can do.

Love,

Korra

...

Korra,

I don't think there's such thing as a minor riot, especially not where you're involved.

I wish I was there, too. You have no idea how much I miss you. I'm going crazy without you. I think Rai is a little bit, too, to be honest. She didn't want to go to sleep at all last night. At first I thought it was just because of the storm, but she's never been afraid of thunder, so I think she was just missing you, maybe waiting up for you to come home. Eventually she came in and woke me up and I let her sleep in the bed with me.

It's okay, though. No rush. You do what you need to do to keep balance. I'm proud of you for keeping your temper in check (how often does that happen?). I'm sure you can get everything under control and deal with it the way you do.

It might be a bad move to go up against that Earth Kingdom guy, but what about talking to some of the people from the Fire Nation? Get them to call him out on it. Maybe he'll back down then if they gang up on him. And if that doesn't work... you could always glow it up. Some Avatar State intimidation would shut him up, I bet.

Hey, like you said, it'll be over before we know it. You'll be back here and everything will go back to normal.

I love you.

Mako

...

Mako,

I want to come home.

I miss you and Rai so much it hurts and I feel like I can't do what I need to do as the Avatar if I can't do what I need to do as a mother first. That comes before anything else.

Do you have any idea how much I love you both? I mean, really.

One of these days I'm gonna fall asleep in the middle of one of their arguments because it's hard to sleep at night. Seriously, before this, can you remember the last time we didn't share a bed?

Spirits, I miss you.

All my love,

Korra

...

Korra,

What brought this on? Did something happen? Are you okay?

You know you can't just drop everything for us - for me or Rai or Bo or Asami or anyone. You're the Avatar. You're bigger than any of us combined. You can't put us ahead of your duty to the world, you know that. But I know that if there's anyone who can be a mother, a friend, a wife, and the Avatar, all at once, and be the best of any of those that anyone could ever be, it's you.

Come on, you have to sleep. These meetings are important. I know, it's hard for me too, but we just have to push through it. (I was going to tell you to make sure you were eating, but then I remembered - you're you, of course you're eating. I don't know why I would expect anything different.)

What about that visit with your earthbending master?

I miss you, too. Just stay focused and then you can come home, and we can both sleep again.

Love,

Mako

...

Mako,

No, it's... nothing. And you're right – of course you're right. But... I still don't understand how you can think that much of me. Besides, you're biased.

It was nice. We went to this old tea shop and just talked. And laughed. He was always caught between two extremes – as serious as if someone was dying, or laughing like he was drunk at a party at two in the morning. He's got some really great jokes. Remind me to tell them to Bolin when I get back.

Love,

Korra

...

Korra,

How can I not think that much of you? How could _anyone_ not think that much of you? You can do absolutely anything you set your mind to, and that's a fact. Because you're so determined and bold and strong and brave and you won't let anything stand in your way. It's why I fell in love with you – it's why I'm still falling in love with you, more and more with every day. I believe in you, Korra. Always and in everything.

(Well, okay, I still don't think skinny dipping in Yue Bay in the middle of a festival was the best idea you've ever had.)

By the way, don't think I don't know you well enough to tell when something's wrong, even through a letter. Spit it out.

Love,

Mako

...

Korra,

Okay, I'm getting a little worried. I mean, I know you've been busy with all the trade stuff, but you've found time to write before, and now you're making me nervous. You promised, remember?

But if you're catching up on sleep I guess it's a good thing, right?

Just… write back soon or I'm going to lose my mind. I need to know you're all right.

I love you so much. Don't ever forget that. Don't doubt it for a second.

Mako


	28. promise

(i own none of this.)

long-ass author's note ahead. ye be warned. (it's all your fault anyway.)

let's start here: HOLY SHIT GUYS WHAT DID I SAY. I TOLD YOU NOT TO FREAK OUT AND WHAT DID YOU DO? YOU FREAKED OUT. jesus christ. when you started saying, "i know i'm like the millionth person to ask" i was like "hell yeah you are holy crap you guys" so i figured it'd be easier to do this in this a/n than replying to all of you individually (except for the two people who PM'd me) - and also, if you don't have an account, i couldn't reply to you no matter what you wanted. :/

and now for what you've all been waiting for (oh god you guys are gonna feel so stupid): Korra didn't die, absolutely nothing bad happened, everything got settled really suddenly so she high-tailed it home and was too anxious to get back to send Mako a letter saying she was on her way and Mako, being the worry-wart he is, got nervous and paranoid and checked back up on her. i imagine she gets home right as the letter makes it to Ba Sing Se. :P also, and this is more of a headcanon for my own story than "hey this happened," Korra got homesick/whatever because she started to suspect she might be pregnant again. adsjfajhlaggal. but HAHAHA don't you feel stupid? unless you wanna imagine something horrible happened, that's cool too.

i'm being such a jerk to you guys right now because you FLAWLESS ASSHOLES YOU. this broke 200 REVIEWS TONIGHT and i've never had that happen for any of the stories i've ever posted here ever, and i've posted nearly 100, so that's a REALLY BIG DEAL TO ME. you guys are the best, really, and i love you and appreciate every review i get, even if i don't reply to most of them. especially you guys who've reviewed practically every chapter... GOD YOU'RE AWESOME.

blah. that's over. thank god. now to this chapter. in my version of things until we get season 2 (damn it 2013), Korra wants Mako to come with her on Avatar stuff when she leaves RC, but he thinks he still has to stay and take care of Bo. then when leaving gets closer, Bo and Asami are both like, "what, we're coming with you, are you nuts," and Mako doesn't want Bo to go and they fight over it but Korra's like "lol nope that settles that you're coming" and yadda yadda. so, by the by, that's another nod to "knowledge" again.

ANYWAY. this is my new favorite. it's so short but oh god honestly i'm so proud of myself for this. i couldn't get the idea at first and then it just wrote itself and i just really love it okay. (so i have a strange fascination with hands. sue me.)

okay okay shutting up now.

**day twenty-eight**ish**:** **promise.**

* * *

The sun's just slipped below the sea and everything's drowning in a dim blue light. They're stretched out together on the couch and he's got her hand in his, turning it over, bending her fingers, parting them; he studies the lines, scars, and calluses and thinks he might be able to memorize them all, map their exact positions, chart them like constellations before –

Well.

"What are you doing?" Korra says finally, with a little chuckle. Mako drops her hand, smiling just slightly as he lifts his eyes to hers, but then she picks his up, brings it close to her face so she can examine it the way he was doing.

Very slowly, she plucks at the point on his fingers where the glove ends, clings to his skin, loosening it so she's able to slide it off and toss it onto the cushion beside her. Then she turns his palm up, places her thumb in the center so his fingers spread and straighten – he can feel the rest of hers on the back of his hand, on the bone connecting to his middle finger – before she starts skimming it across the old, half-forgotten, almost-faded burn scars there. Her other hand comes up and trails around the pads of his palm; her eyebrows are drawn together, her bottom lip jutting out in a small pout.

She curls his fingers into a fist, her hand wrapped around the outside of it, much smaller, dark against his pale. After a moment or two she opens it back up again and threads her fingers through his, looking back up to him, blushing when she realizes he hasn't looked away from her for a second during her inspection.

His chest is heavy, as if his lungs have been lined with lead, when he forces it out: "Are you going to miss me?"

Korra runs her free hand through his hair, all the way to the back of his head, and gently touches his cheek, his jaw, his chin. "Only if you don't come with me," she says, but she's still looking at him like she's never going to have another chance. He notices then that he's doing the same thing – just drinking her in, getting his fill of her (even though he'll never get enough), like she might vanish if he so much as blinks. At his silence, she answers him for real, "Yeah. A lot."

"Don't forget me," Mako says. "While you're gone."

"I won't if you won't."

Her hand keeps moving, down the side of his neck now. Marking him with her fingerprints.

"Promise me."

"Ask nicely." Tiptoeing along his shoulder. A smirk, or something like it, twists her mouth, but he doesn't have to ask. "I promise. Besides" – and suddenly their breath is shared, her arms are around his neck, his hand is on her hip and her lips move against his when she speaks – "how could I ever forget this?"


	29. simple

sorry about the wait, sorry this is so bad, i hope you don't notice that thing i noticed when i went back over it, i really have no excuse for how pathetic this is. i just wanna be done with this challenge because THE IDEAS ARE ASSAULTING MY BRAIN, which is good i guess, but it means this suffers and i kinda wanted to finish on a strong note. oh well, i'm already almost a week behind, so whatever. DON'T BE KIND TO ME ON THIS ONE. TELL ME HOW MUCH IT SUCKS. I NEED TO BE PUNISHED oh god it's horrible.

also i posted two things that aren't Makorra fluff (GASP, right?) so if you wanna check those out that'd be awesome. (profile's right up there, guys. ^boop. Next to Me and Teacher. yay for shameless self-promotion.)

AGAIN I APOLOGIZE IN ADVANCE. also don't think i'm getting the last one up tomorrow, because chances are i'm not. i'm not going to bed yet though, so we'll see.

**day twenty-nine**ish**: simple.**

* * *

Korra poked her head into the apartment to see Mako digging through some cupboards. "Hey."

"Oh, hey," he said, throwing her a fleeting smile before he pushed something aside, and she heard the metallic clanging of pots and pans. "I thought you had training with Tenzin today."

"He had a surprise thing with the council - or what's left of it, anyway" - her mouth thinned into a line as she walked all the way inside and shut the door behind her - "and apparently I wasn't invited. Jinora and Ikki were going to help me with forms and stuff, but I, uh, convinced them not to."

There was probably just a little too much hesitation there for him not to be suspicious. "Did you bribe them again?"

"Kind of."

Mako shook his head, giving up the search and turning toward her. "Korra, you know it's important for you to master airbending as soon as you can," he said, and he cut his eyes away from her.

"Come on," she said, wrapping her arms around his neck. "Tenzin even says I'm making a lot of progress. I can afford to play hooky with my boyfriend every now and then."

Neither of them could help but smile and there was a pleasant fluttering deep in the pit of her stomach. Sometimes it still didn't seem real; sometimes she wondered if she was wandering through a dream. Because being with Mako, with him like this, had never seemed like a reality that was ever going to be within her reach, and now that it was... admittedly, she never wanted to let go.

"What if your boyfriend doesn't want to play hooky with you?" he said, but his hands found her hips, and Korra scoffed.

"Please," she muttered, stretching on tiptoe, "like you'd ever pass up the chance."

Their lips met then, and she grasped at his shoulders, trying to pull herself up to his height, but he leaned down and into the kiss, tightened his grip on her waist; it wasn't long until she broke free from him, moving away with a laugh caught in her throat before he'd even realized what happened. He blinked at her, suddenly on the other side of the kitchen table, snooping through some other cupboards.

"Got anything edible in here?" she said. At his silence (she could _hear_ him frowning), she looked over her shoulder at him and smirked, not disappointed. Turning back: "I'm starving."

His chest pressed against her back and his arms encircled her again. He put his chin on top of her head, just because he could, and she sighed.

"Not really," he mumbled. "I haven't had time to go shopping, and Bolin…"

"Yeah, I know." Korra turned, rested her hands on the inside of his elbows. "We could go out for lunch."

"Sure. Where?"

"Anywhere. Around. We could just take a walk and get something from a food stand here and there."

Mako smiled. "Sounds good."

"Great," she said, slipping away from him again, although this time not without something that might've passed for resistance, "because you're buying." He raised an eyebrow. "What? You're the one with the job. Turns out being the Avatar doesn't pay very well."

Rolling his eyes, he swiped his key from the table and walked with her to the door, taking her hand. "You're lucky I love you."

Even now her heart melted. She didn't think she'd ever get used to that. "I really am," she said, and to prove that she knew it she pulled him down and pressed a kiss to his cheek. "Now yip yip, Moneybags, I don't have all day."


	30. future

look out, another long-ass a/n ahead.

first i need to say that the response to this has been overwhelming. honestly, i never write anything for anyone other than myself, so to see so many people taking an interest and encouraging me and really enjoying this thing that i only set out to do as a personal challenge, for _me_, is a really big deal. and you guys - you GUYS, your REVIEWS, holy crap. i know i don't reply to a lot of them personally but i appreciate the hell outta every single one, you have no idea, every one makes me so happy - especially those of you who reviewed almost EVERY CHAPTER. that's just insane. i mean, seriously, i have never had something like this happen before, and i just wish i could sweep all of you up in one big group hug. MASSIVE THAAAANK YOOUUUUU.

second, this is DEFINITELY not the last you'll hear of me - i have so many other fic ideas i don't really know what to do with them all. BUT, considering the next fic i post will be my 100th (i don't even know how that happened, WOW), i am gonna save something kind of special for it, and i do plan to put quite a bit of time and effort into it, so it could be a few weeks. sorry about that.

ON THE BRIGHT SIDE, i do have a tumblr - also whisperedtouches - where i occasionally attempt to do drabble nights and will post any other farts i write between now and finishing that 100th FFnet fic. plus there's a bunch of weird stuff that i'm almost ashamed of - That's So Mako, my obsession with the fact that _i gave Ozai a tail, _holy crap that's still funny, Mako and Korra's Agni Kai... can't forget Mako's face as my icon. yeah, tumblr's weird. but if you wanna stay updated with all the weird shit i do in my free time, you can go follow me. or not, whatever. just a suggestion._  
_

as for this chapter, i did take my time because it was already late and i figured maybe i should try for a little quality on the last one, yeah? so have a bunch of bittersweet/nostalgic/25 years ahead/married!Makorra/daddy!Mako/momma!Korra feels, because i know i did. (i had to stop and just scream about it for a while because - BECAUSE - damn it you know why because.) mindless fluff, that's always good. i also listened to "Lost My Heart in Republic City" on repeat while i wrote it, and i think if you did the same, it might - _AHEM_ - enhance your reading experience. hinthint nudgenudge winkwink.

this note is probably longer than the chapter by now, so i've just gotta end this by saying that i've never written something this long before or tried (and kind of flopped, but close enough) a challenge like this and it's been a great ride and i've loved having you guys on it with me. i'll be seeing more of you, i hope. :)

FINALLY, WITHOUT FURTHER ADO, THE LAST DAY.

**day thirty: future.**

* * *

"Okay," Mako sighs, sitting down next to her, "enough. What's up?"

Korra tilts her head further back into the couch cushion. "Listen."

He looks around the room, out the window – nothing. "To what?" he says.

"Exactly," she groans, pushing herself up. "It's too quiet."

Again, he listens, and this time he's not surprised that she's right. All the life seems to have faded from the walls: They don't breathe like they used to, don't ring with the sounds of laughter and shouts and always messy, always loud family dinners.

Change is good. Life has taught him this, time after time. Change is good, especially when it's for the better, and he knows that. But he knows, too, that sometimes – times like right now, when the house is the emptiest it's been in years, when it's finally fallen quiet – change hurts.

"Well," and he skims his fingers back and forth over a spot just above her knee, "we could make it a little less quiet."

Smiling slightly, she leans up to kiss him, but it's chaste and quick, exactly what he was expecting.

"Not right now," she says, brushing her hands along his shoulders, down his arms. She drums her fingers on his chest so she can slip out from under his arms and get up, walks down the hall and into one of the – he corrects himself – into _what used to be_ one of the kids' rooms – Rai's, he thinks, because he can't hear her rummaging through all the boxes Kouri left behind. A few moments later she comes back with an old radio in her arms and sets it on the table.

"That's Rai's," he says, to state the obvious.

Korra plugs it in. "It _was_," she says. "But she left it here, so…"

Mako gives her a _look_. "Korra."

"What?" Corners of her mouth twitching. "I'm sure she won't mind."

He raises an eyebrow. "Wanna bet?"

"Hmm, not really," she says, given a second to think about it. "But" – she leans toward the dial – "what she doesn't know won't hurt her."

That, at least, is a point he can't argue with, so he doesn't protest as she deliberately slows the movements of her hand, glancing between him and the radio for dramatic effect. Even as he rolls his eyes he can't help smiling.

Finally she flicks it on. There's a second of static and then she's twiddling the dials back and forth, squinting one eye, tongue poking out. He catches snatches of a few popular songs, some he actually recognizes here and there, could maybe sing along to if he tried (_a playful shove – Dad, shut up, you're embarrassing me – the child falling asleep in his arms_).

"What station are the oldies on?" Before he can answer: "Aha! Found it."

This one he knows. Gentle drums, the lilt of violins, the steady flicking of a bass – more than that, it's her hands locked around his neck, his arms around her waist, his heart pounding in his chest, her stretching on tiptoe to kiss him, the blue of her eyes never leaving him, the world spinning on without them. Those are the things he breathes every day, those memories run unchanging through his veins. Never changed, never will.

Korra sits back and throws her legs over his lap. He grabs her ankle and tugs her closer, pressed up against his thigh, and she sighs, rests her head in the crook of his neck. For a moment he considers asking her to dance, but she's humming in his ear and he can feel her throat vibrating against his shoulder, so instead he takes her hand, laces their fingers with many years' careful practice, and holds them both close to his heart. She breaks them apart, once, kisses his scarred palm, bared to her now, before she clutches at him again, and they stay there until long after the song ends.


End file.
